Courtship in America began when colonialists were breaking ties with England, its mother country during the Colonial period (Cate & Lloyd, 1992). During this period, labor needs were intense and a large population was nessesary to build new towns. Therefore, courtship evolved to procreate to meet labor demands. Love wasn't a requirement for marriage in this time period - only a man and a woman. Men were pushed to marry early, creating a short courtship.

In addition, adolescents and young adults were given increased autonomy during their courtship (Cate & Lloyd, 1992). However, parents still played a large role in the timing of the marriage by withholding inheritance land or prohibiting their sons to leave the immediate family due to labor demands.

Customs of courtship during the Colonial period revolved around rational needs and not lust (Cate & Lloyd, 1992). A man was only able to marry when he could support a family with his income. At this time, many felt that love developed only after a marriage progressed.

This all quickly changed during the 1800s when love became a higher priority. Yet, this love was more of companionship and sincerity rather than romantic (Cate & Lloyd, 1992). In the 1880s, mate seeking was usually facilitated through church and other social activities within structured settings (Cate & Lloyd, 1992). Couples had more time to get to know one another and met, unmonitored by parents, for walks or to talk in a parlor. While this gave the couple a chance to have sexual and intimate relations before marriage, many couples refrained due to social pressures and norms of the time period.