Random Strange Facts About What Physical Intimacy Was Like in Revolutionary America (10 items)

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  (#1) Benjamin Franklin Offered Indelicate Advice

  Benjamin Franklin was known for his suave demeanor. In fact, it was partly why he was selected to win France's support during the Revolutionary War. But he also used that charm to court women and was very open in discussing romantic relations.

  One of Franklin's letters outlines advice on finding a mistress. His biggest piece of advice: always go for older women. According to Franklin, their age and wisdom makes them discreet partners. But he was hardly respectful in his aims, stating, "The Face first grows lank and wrinkled; then the Neck; then the Breast and Arms; the lower Parts [continue] to the last as plump as ever."
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  (#2) Dating Sometimes Involved Partners Being Stuffed Into A Burlap Sack

  Premarital relations was frowned upon in colonial America, but that didn't prevent it from happening. As such, the practice of "bundling" was created to allow betrothed couples to stay at the girl's house under parental supervision. The young lovers would be placed into a sack, similar to a large sleeping bag with the middle sewn together, preventing any body parts from touching.

  There were variations on this tradition too. The unmarried couple might be permitted to share a bed to keep warm, as long as a board separated them. Or they might simply be watched closely by parents. Naturally, these methods weren't always successful. In the mid- to late-1700s, an estimated one in three brides was pregnant when she said "I do."
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  (#3) Commonlaw Marriage Was An Easier Path Towards Acceptable Intercourse

  In colonial America, physical intimacy was supposed to be reserved for married couples. Luckily, it was easy to get married - all a couple needed to do was clasp hands and declare themselves husband and wife. This quick and easy method was called "common law marriage," or "handfasting," and was brought to the Colonies by English settlers.

  Not all of these marriages lasted though. Since there weren't legal documents to certify the union and witnesses weren't required, it was all too easy for a "spouse" to walk away from the relationship after the marriage had been consummated.
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  (#4) There Were Same-Sex Relationships

  While history books tend to avoid the issue, same-sex relationships have existed since the dawn of humankind - and the colonial period was no exception. According to historians, there were not only such relationships in Revolutionary America, but many of them have been documented through correspondence.

  Intimate relationships between men were forbidden by most institutions, but records strongly suggest same-sex partners existed during the war for American independence.
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  (#5) Sex Work Didn’t Really Exist Outside Of Cities

  While one might picture the cities of the past as teeming with sex workers, that wasn't the case in colonial America. Widespread religious beliefs discouraged such work, and the demographics of the population simply didn’t support large-scale operations. While it still existed, the industry wasn't centralized or well-documented in the countryside. There were, however, more employees working in the trade in major settlements, such as New York and Philadelphia.
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  (#6) Thomas Jefferson Fathered Children With One Of The Women He Enslaved

  Thomas Jefferson is still celebrated for his liberal ideals, but he kept many slaves throughout his life. One, Sally Hemings, was referred to as his "concubine" in 19th-century documents, though scholars question whether the relationship was consensual.

  Jefferson probably fathered Hemings's six children, which caused scandalous rumors during his presidency. His family maintained that the children, who were light-skinned and looked like Jefferson, were actually fathered by his nephews. After many recent DNA tests, however, it was determined that Jefferson himself was most likely the father of Hemings's children.
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  (#7) There Were No Shops Catering To Self-Pleasure

  Toys used for self-pleasure are likely as old as intercourse itself, but there’s no record of toys from America’s colonial era. Given that many Colonists were Puritans, it is likely that toys of this nature weren't discussed and sold publicly.
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  (#8) Dirty Jokes And Songs Were Popular

  Colonial Americans' strict morals didn't prevent them from joking about intercourse. Even John Adams wrote down dirty quips he overheard. One told of a man whose friends tricked him into thinking he had contracted gonorrhea from a lady of the evening: 

  He went to the Dr. and was salivated for the Clap. Then they sent him before justice Phillips, then before justice Tyler, in short they played upon him till they provoked him so that he swore, he would beat the Brains out of the first man that came into his shop.

  Another recounted the story of a man who "was a better Prophet than Elijah for he stretched himself on her but once to bring her to Life whereas Elijah did 3 times. He breathed into her the Breath of Life."
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  (#9) Philadelphia Had Its Own Red Light District

  Philadelphia was one of the largest cities in America at the time, and a big population meant more opportunities for intimate situations. The most infamous of the "rough" neighborhoods in the city was Hell Town, which was rife with poverty, crime, and sex work. 

  Benjamin Franklin himself was rumored to fraternize with a few women from this area.
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  (#10) People Began Marrying For Love

  Arranged marriages were common in early America. During the 18th century, however, love became a more important consideration for unions. Marriages used to be arranged to consolidate family power, but parents' influence over their children declined around the time of the Revolutionary War. Apparently, rebellion was in the air.

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