Looking for Children in the Premodern World

In the premodern world, children made up 50% or more* of any given population, and yet they are virtually invisible in the historical record until one begins to seek them out.

Scholars of the history of children and childhood assert that children do indeed have a particular history of their own – one that is connected to the world of adults and yet focused on other things. Moreover, though we may be able to discern certain universals in the stages of childhood – such as infants’ dependency on their mothers, or children’s need for movement and play – every society and every time period has distinctive views about childhood and child rearing practices.

This poster exhibit looks for children around the premodern world as they appear in the written records and printed images of trade and cultural exchange. We focus on practices surrounding birth and infancy, the place of children in family settings, the meaning of toys, and customs of schooling.

Exhibit details

What: Looking for Children in the Premodern World
When: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 through Monday, Sept. 15, 2025 (Weekdays only)
Hours: Open during library hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday; and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday)
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library, Bell Room, Maxine Wallin Special Collections Research Center (ground floor) | Parking & directions

---

*For comparison: Today, children make up just 22% of the population of the United States, an all-time low, but a statistic that is slightly higher than that of most European countries. In the developing world of the global south, children typically make up a little less than 40% of the population.