How The First Date Has Changed Over The Past 100 Years Dating is a huge part of our lives in 2022, making it hard for many of us to believe that it’s a relatively new phenomenon and has changed a lot since the early 1900s. From chaperoned dates to dating apps, the nature of first dates and dating, in general, has changed a lot over the years. Here’s a breakdown of how first dates have changed over the past hundred years. The Early 1900s: Gentleman Callers Since the concept of marrying for love was a relatively new concept at the turn of the 20th century, so was dating.