The Changing Face of the American Family.

In this article the author discusses family values in the U.S., examining how a nuclear family is held as the ideal of the American Dream. The author explores how American family values were influenced by conservatism in the 1950s, social and civil rights movements in the 1960s and 1970s, and increasing diversity in the 1980s and beyond. The author discusses depictions of families in the television programs "Leave it to Beaver" and "The Cosby Show," explores the influence of U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, and comments on issues including divorce, same-sex marriage, and oral contraceptives.