Early modern historians introduced new methodologies in studying the history of marriage, largely because of the sweeping changes in marriage laws and practices that took  place in the sixteenth century, including the shift from femme covert  to women being able to inherit and manage their own property. From history, we have learned that the only continuity in marriage is change and redefinition.

Steven Mintz article featured in Inside Higher Education, “Does History Matter?” (2 July2013), in light of  the fall of DOMA, writes a great piece reminding us that, while history is not a linear progression, it shows that there’s a misconception that “the notion that same-sex marriage deviates from a timeless, unchanging marital norm.”

So, yes, history matters.