Final answer:
The Euro-American kinship system is known as the lineal kinship system which emphasizes the nuclear family and uses bilateral descent to trace relationships through both maternal and paternal lines.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Euro-American kinship system is called a lineal kinship system. This system emphasizes the importance of the nuclear family and traces kindred through both maternal and paternal lines in a pattern known as bilateral descent. The lineal kinship system distinguishes the close family relationships inherent in the nuclear family which carries significant rights and responsibilities while playing a nominal role across other social institutions.
In the study of anthropology, kinship is described as a web of relationships where people consider themselves related in a social and biological way, often depicted through a kinship chart with the point of reference known as EGO. The kinship structure within the Euro-American context generally highlights direct ancestors from both sides of the family, incorporating both blood relatives and those related through marriage or adoption.
Renowned anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan was instrumental in the development of kinship studies, which has since been pivotal in understanding family structures and relationships across various cultures. The lineal kinship system is commonly associated with societies in North America and Europe, reflecting their cultural values surrounding family and descent.