On the Biological Standard of Living of Eighteenth-Century Americans: Taller, Richer, Healthier

John Komlos

Discussion Papers in Economics from University of Munich, Department of Economics

Abstract: This study analyses the physical stature of runaway apprentices and military deserters based on advertisements collected from 18th-century newspapers, in order to explore the biological welfare of colonial and early-national Americans. The results indicate that heights declined somewhat at mid-century, but increased substantially thereafter. The findings are generally in keeping with trends in mortality and in economic activity. The Americans were much taller than Europeans: by the 1780s adults were as much as 6.6 cm taller than Englishmen, and at age 16 American apprentices were some 12 cm taller than the poor children of London.

Keywords: Anthropometrics; Living Standards; 18th century; colonial US (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I31 N11 N31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2003-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Working Paper: On the Biological Standard of Living of Eighteenth-Century Americans: Taller, Richer, Healthier
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:lmu:muenec:53

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