A History Of Marriage And Divorce: Cohabitacion Can Result in a Positi

In the past fourteen billion years, the world has evolved numerous times. From creatures’ extinctions to the rise of technology, the world is constantly on a path of changes. And, even though not all events have been pleasant experiences, humans have definitely had the chance to learn from those happenings: one example being, marriage and its effects on family development. Since the beginning of time, open relationships between people, one reason being for the purpose of reproduction, have existed. It is simply part of human nature to bond with others; human instinct. History also shows that legal contracts did not tie up the first relationships during the Stone Age. However, due to society, marriage has been represented as the basis of a family, therefore, portraying that a legal contract amongst two heterosexual people is required in order to have the â€Å"happily ever after† story. But what happens when problems within a marriage exist, and the people involved are n o longer happy? What about those cohabitants who have gone through rough situations and still remain together for many years? So does a legal contract really determine the longevity of a marriage? What is the real definition of marriage? From the start of the Stone Age to current day, humans have witnessed the evolution of marriage, and the benefits of opting for cohabitation. The definition of marriage has gone from being a mandatory arrangement, to being part of the civil right movement, to cohabitation being the best or only alternative to marriage. Once humanity became civilized, the meaning of intercourse relationships went from it being a human instinct to a social requirement: â€Å"Apparently the single most important function of marriage throughout history has been... ... Moral Communities On Cohabitation.† Review Of Religious Research 54.1 (2012): 45- 67. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Apri. 2014. Kuby, William. â€Å"Making Marriage Work: A History Of Marriage And Divorce In The Twentieth-Century United States.† Journal Of American Culture 35.3 (2012): 279-280. Literary Reference Center. Web. 19 Apr. 2014. â€Å"Marriage.† Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster Incorporation, 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Murray, Melissa. â€Å"Marriage As Punishment.† Columbia Law Review. 112.1 (2012): 1-65. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. Staub, August W. â€Å"Marriage, A History† Magill’s Literary Annual 2006 (2006): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 19 Apr. 2014. Stevenson, Betsey, and Justin Wolfers. â€Å"Marriage And Divorce: Changes And Their Driving Forces.† Journal of Economic Perspective 21.2 (2007): 27-52. Business Source Elite. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.