Courtship practices in the United States changed gradually throughout its history. The transition from primarily rural colonies to cities and the expansion across the continent with major waves of immigration, accompanied by developments in transportation, communication, education, industrialization, and the economy, contributed to changes over time in the national culture that influenced how young people met, interacted, and married. Courtship is generally considered to be the process of people meeting and marrying.
Each colony was influenced by the customs of the founding group, reflecting the cultural and religious expectations of the society that provided the colonists.
Parents generally had an active role in their children's courtships, as did the surrounding community to a lesser extent. The concept of romantic love gradually evolved from a minor consideration to a major deciding factor in marriage. With the advent of dating in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, families had less control over the courting process. Competitive dating in the s and s rapidly transitioned into the serial monogamy of going steady in the s. The societal upheaval of the s erased most old courtship traditions and scripts , but failed to replace them with any new mores.
By the 21st century, although people still meet, pair off, and sometimes marry, there is an absence of widely accepted social norms with which to comply.
In the early days of the colonies, parents played a decisive role in choosing their offspring's partner, as it was considered a critical decision with both financial and social consequences for the individuals and the community. Wealth, social position, and love were considered to be the primary objectives of marriage, with wealth and social position taking precedence. Enforcement of such laws fell into disuse by the 18th century as the practice of young people choosing their own mates became commonly accepted.
