Art of Manliness Podcast #132: The History of the American Bachelor With Howard Chudacoff

Originally published August 2015 While it might not seem so at first blush, the history of the bachelor in America is complex and truly fascinating. When colonists first settled America, the bachelor as an identity didn’t even exist. But as time passed, bachelors became one of the driving forces shaping our concept of manliness in America. In fact, many of the popular ideas we have about manliness today (and that we talk about on the site), emerged out of bachelor culture, particularly from the late 19th century. My guest today on the podcast delved deep into this often overlooked part of history to show that many of the qualms that society has about single men today have in fact existed since the founding of the country. Howard Chudacoff is a professor of history at Brown University and the author of The Age of the Bachelor: Creating an American Subculture. In today’s podcast, Professor Chudacoff and I discuss the evolution of the bachelor throughout American history. Show Highlights Why colonial Americans charged a special tax on bachelors The nickname Ben Franklin gave to bachelors Why there was an explosion of bachelors beginning in the 19th century Why the 19th century was the “Age of the Bachelor” What role barbershops, saloons, and pool halls played in the lives of American bachelors America’s first, great men’s interest magazine — The National Police Gazette John L. Sullivan — King of the Bachelors The status of the American bachelor today And much more! Show notes: https://ift.tt/2JLUNrY Follow us! https://ift.tt/1FOPIX2 http://twitter.com/artofmanliness https://ift.tt/YAd15k https://ift.tt/1DUJeqE