Primogeniture is the tradition of passing on inheritance to the eldest son, which has survived in many parts of the world for centuries. Younger children were neglected and forced to choose careers that did not require a large personal fortune. The practice originated with the Normans in England to maintain entire ownership and prevent the feudal lord’s kingdom from becoming unmanageable. Primogeniture made its appearance in the New World, but by the time of the American Revolution, it was largely out of use and abolished throughout the United States in 1798.
Primogeniture, also known as bond, is the tradition of inheritance, including money, land, and houses, that is passed on to the eldest son in a family. While this tradition is largely out of use today, it has survived in many parts of the world for centuries.
Younger daughters and sons were completely neglected under primogeniture and were forced to rely on the largesse of the eldest son for subsistence. The primogeniture system has had a very serious effect on the career choices of younger children. They were forced to choose one of two occupations that did not require a large personal fortune: clergy or soldier. Even the daughters who had been neglected under the obligation faced a daunting task; marry well or depend on the older brother for income for life.
The goals of the bond were to firmly embed seniority in a social and economic hierarchy and to maintain entire ownership. Rather than giving pieces of an estate to different family members, those operating under primogeniture were assured that their fortunes passed intact from one householder to another. After a carefully selected mate and the pooling of family fortunes, a landowner’s wealth could become so large that his power, influence, and military support might well threaten the government.
This practice of implication originated with the Normans in England. The Normans introduced feudalism, in which a lord maintained his income and military through vassals, or subordinates. Through feudalism, a lord was only as strong as the completeness of his possessions.
If a lord’s vassals were allowed to distribute land equally among his sons, for example, the structure of feudalism and the lord’s strength, in wealth and military support, would fail. Thus, the primogeniture system, in which vassals could only pass an estate to an eldest son, prevented the feudal lord’s kingdom from becoming unmanageable. In 1662, manorial estates such as these were abolished in England and it was permissible for landowners to transfer wealth and land to separate family members.
Primogeniture made its appearance in the New World, and many of the original colonies practiced some form of this custom. However, in many cases American colonists relied more on what was termed “partial ancestry” in which the property was divided equally, with a double portion reserved for the eldest son. By the time of the American Revolution, primogeniture was largely out of use, and in 1798 it was abolished throughout the United States.
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