Funeral Service Practice Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The family structure characterized by descent traced through the male line is patriarchal. In a patriarchal family system, lineage and inheritance are typically passed down through the father. This system often emphasizes the role of males in authority positions within the family, where fathers hold significant social and economic influence. In this context, relationships and familial responsibilities are often defined by male connections, leading to the predominance of paternal lineage in matters such as inheritance, family name, and descent.

In contrast, matriarchal structures focus on the female line, where lineage and authority typically derive from women. Nuclear families consist of two parents and their children, and extended families include a larger network that may involve grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other relatives, regardless of lineal descent. While both nuclear and extended family structures can exist within any cultural context, they do not specifically define the lineage tracing characteristic of a patriarchal system.