Finally, Foster relies heavily upon a religiously toned argument to further support the enactment of prohibition in Canada. In one section he argues that:
Not one element of social purity, not one impulse to intellectual endeavor, not one aspiration towards Heaven and God come from the rum-shop. But as its doors shut and open…disorder, crime, filth, apathy of intellect, tendencies of idleness, germs of immorality, and temptations to sin constantly pour fourth upon society, school and church.
By employing a religiously toned rhetoric Foster is able to appeal to the many Canadians who, during this time period, were still devoutly religious. By comparing the effects of the consumption of alcohol to a religious message Foster is able to persuade
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The Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the Sons of Temperance believed that the supervision and education of children would result in not only the proper moral behaviour of the child, but that the child would be a positive influence for their parents. Temperance organizations would implement reading materials like pamphlets and textbooks, prepare lesson plans and organize lectures by prominent advocates for the temperance movements in order to educate the younger demographic about the dangers of alcohol consumption. For example, the Sons of Temperance lobbied the Council of Public Instruction of Nova Scotia into placing Sir B.W. Richardson’s The Temperance Lesson Book on its list of recommend school texts for teachers. Subsequently, when the Halifax School Board recommended the book to all teachers, but supplied no public funds for their purchase, the Halifax Division of the Sons of Temperance purchased enough copies for every teacher in the city. By the mid-1890s Nova Scotia had implemented a compulsory temperance course for both elementary and high school students which utilized textbooks, examination questions and training for prospective teachers in order to teach the importance of temperance. Because temperance organizations were able to implement literature into …show more content…
First focusing on the Nova Scotian temperance movement, which in 1827 in the community of West River located in Pictou County, what was later claimed to be the first organized temperance group in North America was established. In 1863 an amendment to the Licence Law ruled that no license for the sale of liquor would be granted in a polling district where the majority of ratepayers petitioned against said license. A further amendment in 1869 ruled that the application for the license now had to be accompanied by a petition signed by two-thirds of ratepayers in the polling district. By 1886, thirteen of eighteen counties in Nova Scotia were “dry” under the Canada Temperance Act or Scott Act of 1878. Building of the previous legislation of the 1864 Dunkin Act, which was implemented “as the result of continued agitation of the temperance people,” the Canada Temperance Act provided municipalities the option to opt-in by way of plebiscite to some form of prohibition. Even before the national plebiscite on prohibition was held in Canada it is clear by the regulations enacted that temperance was a popular movement in Nova Scotia during the late nineteenth
The book “Last Call,” by Daniel Okrent, provides an interesting insight into, as he describes it the “triumphant failures” of prohibition, and the bold display of ignorance that defined the policies governing its enactment, enforcement, and eventual downfall. Okrent takes us into the debates waged between what he repeatedly refers to as wet and dry Americans. Okrent’s remarkably original account, shows readers how the prohibition supporters integrated native fears of immigration, ignorance, and stereotypes in a movement that would in time shaped a decade and even resulted in an unprecedented failure in an amendment of the American Constitution.
In order to truly understand Canadian prohibition the prior temperance movement must be examined. During the 19th century, alcohol was seen as a great evil (citation needed). This evil harmed the family unit and society. This was the view of the teetotalers who abstained from alcoholic beverages on a moral basis (citation needed). The teetotalers thought that their morals came from the Judeo-Christian God, and that curing society from the evil of alcohol was necessary for “Social Salvation.” (Citation needed)
“A symbol of sin against Godly order” became a theme in Abzug discussion of the evangelical reform and the reformers who became the key participants. Often the evangelical reformers became too radical developing conflicts with the church. For example, in the temperance movement Reverend J. Edwards wanted to declare wage war “not on the drunkard but on those who countenanced the practice of moderate drinking and who engaged in the production and distribution of strong drink.” Ultimately the reform movements led to societies, than to pledges to abstain. Abzug presents a caution citing one critic against pledges, Reverend Leonard Withington: “He (Withington) feared that for every social evil there might be a pledge, and that soon the Ten Commandments itself would be “surrounded with human pledges.” Commandments would no longer be kept because of love of God but rather because of fear of
Aaron, Paul and Musto, David, Temperance and Prohibition in America: A Historical Overview. In: Moore, Mark H., and Gerstain, Dean R. (eds) Alcohol and Public Policy: Beyond the Shadow of Prohibition. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1981. Pp 127-181.
Toward the end of the legislative session, fear rises as bills line up at the Texas governor’s desk. With the governor’s power of vetoes, it seems that lawmakers in Texas are losing their power. In Texas, the governor, Greg Abbott has the power to veto any bill that is present to him with no limit. During the recent session, 6,968 bills were sent to the governor’s desk for approval. Abbott will not make a decision until the legislative period is over to avoid challenges and to make his decision permanent. During these last few weeks of the legislative period, the governor holds a tremendous power over the lawmakers. Lawmakers are inclined to “curry favors” with the governor in order to get their bills passed. Greg Abbott, for example, has
All in all prohibition proved out to be a lost cause, it did not work out well for the society or the economy of Canada, it was an effort put forward by people that thought strongly about prohibition in an effort to purify the society as a whole and start a new economy that peoples will put more money into the economy. Prohibition did not work at all. It just made crime rise, like bootlegging and smuggling liquor. But they might as well face it, the people wanted to drink and the government wanted money.
According to “The Bible,” the inebriation was a lethal sin. Besides that, the alcoholism also caused divorces, which Christians thought as a betrayal to God. Various people involved in the movement, including many women, Al Capone, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt (“Prohibition”). In the 1900s, most women were suffering abuse from their husbands because alcohol had exacerbated their husbands’ anger. Once the temperance movement started, the women embraced it. After the prohibition law had been enforced, the needs for liquors grew, which led to high illegal activity rate. During this time period, Al Capone was believed to be responsible for a series of crimes. Near the end of the temperance movement, President Roosevelt liked to enjoy a Martini, so naturally he disagreed with the movement. In “Richmond P. Hobson Argues for Prohibition,” Hobson explores the idea of the temperance movement most notably in his use of parallelism and catalogue in order to convince the representatives in the
The desire to control alcohol consumption, or advocate temperance, has been a goal of humanity throughout countless periods of history. Many countries have had organized temperance movements, including Australia, Canada, Britain, Denmark, Poland, and of course, the United States. The American temperance movement was the most widespread reform movement of the 19th century, culminating in laws that completely banned the sale of all alcoholic beverages. The movement progressed from its humble local roots to nationwide organizations with millions of members and large amounts of political power. The growth of the temperance movement resulted from the changes in society between the original American settlers and the post-Revolutionary War citizens. The Revolutionary War is the catalyst for the movement, and the new society that emerges out of it is the cause of the development of the American temperance movement.
After the American Revolution, drinking was on the rise. To combat this, a number of societies were organized as part of a new Temperance movement which attempted to dissuade people from becoming intoxicated. At first, these organizations pushed moderation, but after several decades, the movement's focus changed to complete prohibition of alcohol consumption. (Brayton)
The call for temperance was supported by progressive reformers who viewed the “Devil’s Brew” as the primary source ...
“Either we are a nation of lawbreakers, or this is a bad law”, says John McCardell, author for the Greenhaven Press (McCardell, 2012). What McCardell is referring to is the law barring the consumption of alcohol in individuals under the age of twenty-one in the United States. John McCardell is the former president of Middlebury College, and he is also the founder of the Choose Responsibly group (Baldouf, 2007). This group is a nonprofit organization that travels around the country sharing McCardell’s proposal about the drinking age...
When we were talking about vegetarianism the time right before Thanksgiving break many arguments were put forth for the idea. The one that stuck to me the most was the arguments made by Tom Regan. For the other arguments I thought about them but they did not have me think about what I eat. With Regan’s essay it was the first time I actually took the time and thought about what I eat and if it is immoral.
Prohibition not only failed in its promise to curb the social problem created by alcohol. It actually promoted s...
Carlson, Peter. American History. Des Moines: Cowles Enthusiast Media, 2008. Vol. 43 of “Uneasy about Alcohol” eLibrary. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.
5. McWilliams, Peter. “Prohibition: A Lesson In The Futility (and danger) Of Prohibition.” Online. 13 April 2004. http://www.mcwilliams. com/books/aint/402.htm