Dowries are the goods that wives or their families give to their husbands. In certain societies and cultures dowries are a very important aspect of life. The main country that dowries began at and still exist it in is Pakistan. Also it still exists in the Indian-Pakistan borders. There are a number of girls that can’t get married because their families are poor and they can not give dowries for the husband or meet the “criteria”. Therefore only some girls, who come from rich or average families, can get married. These girls were forced to get married between the ages of 12 and 16 years old.
Dowries existed long time ago since the code of Hammurabi. It said that the woman had to give her husband dowries and if the wife gets divorced or dies without any children, the husband has to repay the dowries. Although the husband can reduce the price he has to refund. Also if the husband died the wife gets her dowries back. Dowries still exist today in different countries and cultures. Such as some parts of Europe, Africa and other parts of South Asia. Ancient Romans used to apply dowries to their daily lives before. One of the reasons dowries were used was for protecting the girls against unpleasant treatments. Precious metals lands and others were used so that the husbands or the family could profit from them. These dowries were used to help “start” a family. These dowries are given to the husband whom obtains total control. The dowries given were to confirm the marriage and it wasn’t anything economic. Also to keep the families close. The husband also had to pay a “bride piece” to the bride’s parent. In some traditions now especially in the Islamic religion laws, men have to pay a certain amount of money that they have promised the bride and her parents if they get divorced. It’s a compulsory tradition and men have no choice other than it. Today most people share dowries like the bride gets half of the things and the husband buys the other half to “create” their family. Although men still have to pay the brides price.
Many people had slaves living with them. Others had either their sisters or their sister whose husbands were dead. Poor women that were married did not have a slave to go out and collect water or work; the poor women had to do that. Basically poor women were treated like slaves because they couldn’t offer valuable dowries for the husband. If the couples got divorced the men had to return the dowries to the girl. In each country the gift that parents give to the daughter is different. Women did not have any rights to control the dowries for themselves. Dowries came to Europe before the homer period around the 5th century. Basically dowries are the presents that parents gave to girls to start their lives for example if they gave them money they can build their homes. Sometimes, nuns had to give their dowries so that they can join the convent. When the dowries are worthy, the husband usually treats the wife better. Dowries for poor women were thought as a form of charity. Just like Christmas stockings from the story where St. Nicholas, threw gold in the stockings of three poor sisters, provided for their dowries. Other well known people in history were St. Elizabeth of \Portugal and St. Martin de Porres.
We think that it should be illegal and we are against it because if the bride is poor then she wouldn’t be able to get married and that’s really unfair because she has to work hard and if she loved someone she couldn’t marry him. Also some women would really like to have a family to live with and children who would take care of her or her husband when they grow up. Another reason is that usually men are in charge of “creating” their families so they shouldn’t depend on women to give them dowries so they can start a family and new life. Although in some countries they are starting to become illegal they should keep it illegal and not change it beck to being legal because it’s a violent tradition. Thus governments should create really strict laws about dowries since they cause severe injuries, life-long scars or deaths. Men should also be a little civilized, if they can’t afford a marriage they should wait or speak to the bride and ask for help maybe and then repay it after.
Dowries existed long time ago since the code of Hammurabi. It said that the woman had to give her husband dowries and if the wife gets divorced or dies without any children, the husband has to repay the dowries. Although the husband can reduce the price he has to refund. Also if the husband died the wife gets her dowries back. Dowries still exist today in different countries and cultures. Such as some parts of Europe, Africa and other parts of South Asia. Ancient Romans used to apply dowries to their daily lives before. One of the reasons dowries were used was for protecting the girls against unpleasant treatments. Precious metals lands and others were used so that the husbands or the family could profit from them. These dowries were used to help “start” a family. These dowries are given to the husband whom obtains total control. The dowries given were to confirm the marriage and it wasn’t anything economic. Also to keep the families close. The husband also had to pay a “bride piece” to the bride’s parent. In some traditions now especially in the Islamic religion laws, men have to pay a certain amount of money that they have promised the bride and her parents if they get divorced. It’s a compulsory tradition and men have no choice other than it. Today most people share dowries like the bride gets half of the things and the husband buys the other half to “create” their family. Although men still have to pay the brides price.
Many people had slaves living with them. Others had either their sisters or their sister whose husbands were dead. Poor women that were married did not have a slave to go out and collect water or work; the poor women had to do that. Basically poor women were treated like slaves because they couldn’t offer valuable dowries for the husband. If the couples got divorced the men had to return the dowries to the girl. In each country the gift that parents give to the daughter is different. Women did not have any rights to control the dowries for themselves. Dowries came to Europe before the homer period around the 5th century. Basically dowries are the presents that parents gave to girls to start their lives for example if they gave them money they can build their homes. Sometimes, nuns had to give their dowries so that they can join the convent. When the dowries are worthy, the husband usually treats the wife better. Dowries for poor women were thought as a form of charity. Just like Christmas stockings from the story where St. Nicholas, threw gold in the stockings of three poor sisters, provided for their dowries. Other well known people in history were St. Elizabeth of \Portugal and St. Martin de Porres.
We think that it should be illegal and we are against it because if the bride is poor then she wouldn’t be able to get married and that’s really unfair because she has to work hard and if she loved someone she couldn’t marry him. Also some women would really like to have a family to live with and children who would take care of her or her husband when they grow up. Another reason is that usually men are in charge of “creating” their families so they shouldn’t depend on women to give them dowries so they can start a family and new life. Although in some countries they are starting to become illegal they should keep it illegal and not change it beck to being legal because it’s a violent tradition. Thus governments should create really strict laws about dowries since they cause severe injuries, life-long scars or deaths. Men should also be a little civilized, if they can’t afford a marriage they should wait or speak to the bride and ask for help maybe and then repay it after.
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