In the American slave family, Select one: a. most couples did not formally marry. b. black women typically began bearing children later than white women. c. premarital pregnancy was uncommon. d. extended kinship networks were strong and important. e. premarital cohabitation was frowned upon.

D. Extended kinship networks were strong and important  

Explanation:

Slave family ties and marriages were not recognised in American law and the slave owner could sell the slave children, wives, husband and brothers without having any regard to their relationship. The larger plantations had numerous slaves and shifted slaves it split the families.

The sale of slaves used to destroy almost 10 to 20 percent of the slave marriages. Due to death of parents or the sale, more than a third of all slave children's grew up in such households where one or both parents were absent. The slaves could only visit their wives on their owners discretion.  

Despite the frequent breakup of the families the slaves had durable and strong family and kinship ties within the custom of slavery.  

Most of the slaves married a single women and lives with them until their death. To have a sense of family identity slaves named their children's after kin, deceased relatives, grandparents and parents. They also used to pass down names of their ancestor's owner

the correct answer is:

b) a rich merchant.