Marriage age in the United States: Difference between revisions

[[File:US_marriage_age_including_exceptionsUS states and territories marriage age with exceptions.svg|thumb|Marriageable age accounting for exceptions {{legend|#BC4493|18}}{{legend|#1964FF|17}}{{legend|#21CC4E|16}}{{legend|#EAC304|15}}{{legend|#DE0F22|0}}]]

In 1275, in England, as part of the rape law, the [[Statute of Westminster 1275]], it was a misdemeanor to "ravish" a "maiden within age", whether with or without her consent. The phrase "within age" was interpreted by jurist Sir Edward Coke to mean the age of marriage, which at the time was 12 years.<ref name="aoc_teaching_module" /> A 1576 law imposed more severe punishments for ravishing a girl for which the age of consent was set at 10 years.<ref name="aoc_teaching_module" /> Jurist Sir [[Matthew Hale (jurist)|Matthew Hale]] stated that both rape laws were valid at the same time..<ref name="aoc_teaching_module">{{cite web |title=Age of Consent Laws (Teaching Module) |last1=Robertson |first1=Stephen |url=https://chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/teaching-modules/230.html |website=Children & Youth in History |publisher=[[Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media]] |access-date=15 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715110242/https://chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/items/show/230 |archive-date=15 July 2018 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Under [[English common law]] the age of consent, as part of the law of rape, was 10 or 12 years and rape was defined as forceful sexual intercourse with a woman against her will. To convict a man of rape, both force and lack of consent had to be proven, except in the case of a girl who was under the age of consent. Since the age of consent applied in all circumstances, not just in physical assaults, the law also made it impossible for a girl under 12 years to consent to sexual activity. There was one exception: a man's acts with his wife (females over 12 years), to which rape law did not apply.<ref name="blogs.lawlib.widener.edu">{{cite web |last1=Lindenmuth |first1=Janet |title=The age of consent and rape reform in Delaware |url=https://blogs.lawlib.widener.edu/delaware/2014/07/07/the-age-of-consent-and-rape-reform-in-delaware/ |website=Widener Law Delaware Library |access-date=September 16, 2020}}</ref>

| With parental consent and judicial approval, a person can marry at 16. If an underaged party doesn't have a parent or guardian or they're incompetent, the judge can offer approval instead. The judge can also override lack of parental approvalconsent itif it's, "unreasonably withheld".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://law.justia.com/codes/iowa/title-xv/chapter-595/section-595-2/|title=Iowa marriage age exceptions}}</ref>

| 1816

| In September 2018, governor [[Lolo Moliga]] signed into law a bill changing the marriage age for girls from 14 to 18. The marriage age is now 18 for both sexes.<ref name="radionz.co.nz"/>