Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/104122 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2003
Series/Report no.: 
Munich Discussion Paper No. 2003-9
Publisher: 
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Volkswirtschaftliche Fakultät, München
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.
Subjects: 
Anthropometrics
Living Standards
18th century
colonial US
JEL: 
N11
I31
I12
N31
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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