Philippe Aries

Born in 1914, he is credited with being the first man to make the study of childhood a legitimate practice.  is father wanted him in the field of engineering, but eventually allowed him to chase his true love, history.  He wrote a book in 1960 that was translated in English in 1962 tilted, "Centuries of Childhood". it was an examination of the relationship between parents and children from fifteenth to eighteenth century France.  he was a camp councilor that was in favor of promoting the expansion of families. This was an act that Aries was not in agreement with, and investigated further. He found that the French were using form of birth control as early as the seventeenth century. It also shows that until recent times, children were used for trade or for sale. Many families would go hungry if they did not have children to provide for work.

My main question is this... why were the French practicing birth control during this time?

My follow up question is... is this such a rogue action that is someone of power were to find out, what action would be taken?