2. Revolutions

Abstract

The succession of revolutions that followed the long medieval period in Europe profoundly affected childhood. The Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the political revolutions of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries led to an expansion of democratic governments and the concomitant development of public education and social welfare programs. They also led to efforts by Western nations to eliminate, to separate, and, eventually, to integrate (on Western terms) subjugated peoples—often by manipulating children and forcing deep changes in child-rearing practices. “Revolutions” considers common childhood experiences around the world; the impact of the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment on childhood; and how indigenous and colonial customs impacted on each other.