Bundling; Its Origin, Progress and Decline in America

Delving into a curious courtship ritual once common in early New England, this narrative follows the author’s investigation of “bundling” – the practice of couples sharing a bed while still clothed. Drawing on colonial records, personal letters, and his own Connecticut heritage, he maps the custom’s birth in post‑war settlements, its spread among youthful New Englanders, and the moral alarm it raised among churches and families. The opening pages set a tone of scholarly curiosity tempered by a lively defense against those who fear the past might tarnish regional pride.

As the research unfolds, readers hear a spirited debate between historians, clergy, and ordinary citizens who contested the practice’s propriety. The author balances vivid anecdotes with measured analysis, illustrating how bundling reflected broader tensions between liberty, restraint, and emerging social norms. Listeners are treated to a rich portrait of a bygone era, where humor, controversy, and the quest for moral clarity intersected in the bedrooms of America’s early settlers.