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

(#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.
(#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.
(#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.
(#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.
(#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.
(#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.