Temperance Movement During The Progressive Era

607 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Women's rights struggle

The Progressive Era (1890 – 1920) was the era of transforming American society. There were several reforms throughout this time period concerning governmental, political, social, economic, civil rights, and conservation issues. Most of the reforms came about due to societal, political, and economic failures associated with the Industrial Age. Two particular movements that occurred were the temperance movement and the women's rights movement. The temperance movement was a move to enforce the moral principles of living in moderation and self-control in regards to the issue of alcohol consumption. The women's rights movements creates equality among sexes. Women went above expectations and strived for their rights to vote and work outside of …show more content…

Drinking was a way of life for Americans during the industrial era. Alcohol was an important part of all kinds of social functions. Because the consumption of alcohol was so common, domestic violence and poverty became an issue. The access drinking put families at home in danger of violence. Also, because alcohol consumed most of these men's lives, they were more concerned with that than their job and providing for their family. The government wanted to get these issues under control and the Temperance Movement began to solve these growing problems. "By 1916, 23 of 48 states had passed anti-saloon legislation. Many went further, prohibiting the manufacture of alcoholic beverages as well. On January 29, 1919, Congress ratified the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacturing, transportation and sale of alcohol within the United States." (history.com). Later on the National Prohibition Act was put in place so the government had control of enforcing the law. There were several loopholes in this act so the government could get away with drinking. Bootleg alcohol—buying and selling of illegal alcohol—started to occur later in the prohibition. Crime arose which was the opposite of what government had planned to do. This caused for a repeal in prohibition. Congress solved the problem by proposing the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, which repealed both the 18th Amendment and the prohibition Act. Since then, liquor control in the United States is set at the local

Show More
Related

  • Okrent’s Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition

    1451 Words  | 3 Pages

    January 1920, the opening year of the 18th Amendment that sought banning “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors” within the United States and its US territories. Many Americans relate this era with speakeasy, public law breaking, and a public disregard for the establishment of prohibition. The 18th Amendment was the first constitutional amendment that sought to limit the rights of citizens and their rights to drink. This would become an attempt that many would soon come to realize as one of the greatest failures in law enforcement in American History. For if an American wants to drink, those with the American spirit for rebellion will surly offer him one.

    Read More

  • How Did The 18th Amendment Change America

    632 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1920 following the ratification of the 18th amendment the country became dry. The 18th amendment made it illegal to manufacture, sell, import, or export drinking alcohol. It would stay this way for a little more than a decade, which became known as the prohibition. Prohibition was a way to clean up the cities and improving the conditions of the US. Prohibition was approved because drinking was thought be a drag on the economy and the leading cause for some of the country's problems such as corruption, child abuse, crime, and unemployment. Fourteen years later in 1932 America had changed its mind and it was repealed. So what changed? The American people had changed their minds about the 18th amendment because crime had increased,

    Read More

  • Progressive Era Dbq

    1128 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the Progressive Era, pressure from labor, suffrage, and conservation movements profoundly changed the course of American history. Many of the reformers' ideas clashed with the male-dominated, capitalist economic structure present at the turn of the century. Some of the intended reforms opposed the current system, but the level of social unrest necessitated change. Businessmen and activists alike initiated the reforms during the Progressive Era. Government, due to the intention of calming the common man and quieting the seemingly more and more vocal middle class, supported them. In the final analysis, from the year 1900 to 1920, Progressive Era reformers were successful in bringing about reform to the United States.

    Read More

  • Temperance Movement In The 1800s

    762 Words  | 2 Pages

    “By 1830, the average American over 15 years old consumed nearly seven gallons of pure alcohol a year – three times as much as we drink today – and alcohol abuse (primarily by men) was wreaking havoc on the lives of many.” In the 1800s millions of Americans took a pledge to refrain from drinking alcohol. This was known as the Temperance Movement. The temperance movement was a reaction to the increase of alcohol consumption throughout the nation. The opposition to drinking originally stemmed from heath and religious reformers. These groups were crucial to American society for their efforts to tighten social controls. During this era, there were multiple citizens who believed some individuals were living unethically. “These people feared that God would no longer bless the United States and that these ungodly and unscrupulous people posed a threat to America's political system. To survive, the American republic, these people believed, needed virtuous citizens.” Due to these

    Read More

  • The Antebellum Temperance Movement

    1743 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many may say that the Antebellum Temperance Movement was primarily motivated by religious moralism. I tend to take that stance as well. The Antebellum Temperance Movement of the 18th century was focused around the idea that people, mostly men, should abstain from alcohol if they could not drink the spirits in moderation. In this era, many women had suffered greatly because their loved ones would imbibe excessively leaving them short on money, food, and even shelter which left many impoverished and unable to care for their families. Additionally, the excessive consumption of alcohol led to health care issues, crime and in the end, destitution. The first author, W.J. Rorabaugh, is a proponent on the side of how Christian ministers, “portrayed liquor as the tool of the devil and develop temperance societies as socialization institutions to ease social tensions and anxieties that contributed to alcohol consumption,” (Madaras, L.; SoRelle, J. Pg. 256) Appositionally, John J. Rumbarger opposes by stating that, “the nineteenth–century temperance reform was the product of the pro-capitalist market economy whose entrepreneurial elite led the way toward abstinence and prohibitionist campaigns. In order to guarantee the availability for a more productive workforce,” (Madaras, L.; SoRelle, J. Pg. 256). I agree with W.J. Rorabaugh that during the Antebellum Temperance Movement, the church’s played an enormous role in prohibiting alcohol consumption because it was the “tool of the devil”.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Abolitionist Movement And Women's Rights Movement

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    However, some reform movements did not attempt to progress democracy, and these movements instead vied to adjust religious and social norms such as the Temperance Movement, which went against the consumption of alcohol. A reform movement’s need for a clear plan to achieve their goal was essential in the success of the movement. The Women’s Rights Movement was very successful in its fight for democratic ideals because women gained suffrage in 1920. However, the abolitionists were unsuccessful in ending racial discrimination and achieving voting rights until the middle of the 20th century. The fight for liberty was often the driving force behind reform movements in the early

    Read More

  • American Temperance Movement

    1817 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Success and Failure of the Prohibition

    978 Words  | 2 Pages

    Prohibition originated in the nineteenth century but fully gained recognition in the twentieth century. The Prohibition was originally known as the Temperance Movement. In the 1820s and 1830s, a wave of religious revivalism developed in the United States, leading to increased calls for temperance, as well as other reform movements such as the abolition of slavery (“Prohibition”). These reforms were often led by middle class women. The abolition of slavery became a more important topic of debate until after the Civil War. By the turn of the century, temperance societies were a common thing throughout the communities in the United States (“Prohibition”). Women advocated the unity of the family, and they believed alcohol prevented such a thing. Drunken husbands only brought about negativity to the home, and women could not support that behavior. Suffragists, in their pursuit for voting rights, also sought to eliminate alcohol from the home. Small-scale legislation had been passed in several states, but no national laws had been enacted. On January 29, 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment was ratified by Congress; it banned t...

    Read More

  • Research Paper On Why Al Capone Came To Chicago

    910 Words  | 2 Pages

    The 18th Amendment of the United States was passed in October 28, 1919, but became effective in 1920. It made the sale, manufacturing, and transportation of alcohol illegal. The prohibition started because alcohol made the country look abnormal, sick, and dirty. The drunk people in the streets and their actions reflected on the United ...

    Read More

  • The Legal Drinking Age Should Be 18

    677 Words  | 2 Pages

    The temperance movement at the time used a minimum drinking age to gradually bring about the ban of alcohol altogether. In 1919 the temperance movement got what they wanted and the 18th Amendment was created banning the sale of alcohol in America. This ultimately failed, resulting in increased gang violence and bootlegging. In 1933, due to a change of public opinion, the ban was lifted with what is called the 21st Amendment. After prohibition, what was left of the temperance movement was to make sure that a minimum drinking age remained.

    Read More

  • Women in the Progressive Era

    2111 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the 1890s, American women emerged as a major force for social reform. Millions joined civic organizations and extended their roles from domestic duties to concerns about their communities and environments. These years, between 1890 and 1920, were a time of many social changes that later became known as the Progressive Era. In this time era, millions of Americans organized associations to come up with solutions to the many problems that society was facing, and many of these problems were staring American women right in the face.

    Read More

  • Prohibition In The 1920's

    1222 Words  | 3 Pages

    Alcohol consumption was never illegal under federal law. Nationwide prohibition did not begin in the United States until 1920, when the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States constitution went into effect, and was repealed in 1933, with the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment. The repeal movement of prohibition in the United States was initiated and financed by the AAPA, Association Against the Prohibition Amendment, who worked to elect Congressmen who agreed to support the repeal. The repeal of prohibition was accomplished with the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment on December 5, 1933. Under its terms, states were allowed to set their own laws for the control of alcohol. Following repeal, public interest in an organized prohibition movement decreased. However, it survived for a while in a few southern and border states. To this day, however, there are still counties and parishes within the United States known as “dry”, where the sale of liquor, only whiskey and wine, now beer, is prohibited. Several such municipalities have adopted liquor by the drink, however, in order to expand tax

    Read More

  • The Reasons and Results of Prohibition

    916 Words  | 2 Pages

    In December of 1917 the Eighteenth Amendment or Prohibition Act was passed, outlawing alcohol for American citizens. Thais was a major movement within U.S. history. Drinking increased substantially in the years after the Civil War, causing the desire for change within America. Overall drinking caused a major upset for men and women living within the 20’s. Research has shown that the Prohibition was caused by major social and financial issues, which resulted in negative economic effects and organized crime.

    Read More

  • The Start of Gangsterism/ Organized Crime because of Prohibition

    1999 Words  | 4 Pages

    Prohibition in the United States lasted about 14 years from 1920 to 1933. “Prohibition was the period in United States history in which the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors was outlawed.” . Intoxicating liquors were beginning to ruin the lives of some Americans and it became banned. “Prohibition, members of the Temperance movement urged, would stop husbands from spending all the family income on alcohol and prevent accidents in the workplace caused by workers who drank during lunch” . Alcohol was beginning to tear families apart and some wanted to finally outlaw all of the alcohol which would make life easier. In the beginning organizations pushed moderation, but after some decades the organizations’ focus’ turned into the idea of complete prohibition . Although the idea of total prohibition was far-fetched it eventually began. The 18th amendment brought about complete prohibition to all of the United States, with this amendment prohibition in the United States was finally established.

    Read More

  • Prohibition: Cause And Effect

    888 Words  | 2 Pages

    There were many causes of Prohibition, which is also known as the 18th Amendment. This amendment made it illegal to produce, sell, and transport alcohol in the United States. The 18th amendment took effect on January 17, 1920. Alcohol was causing husbands and fathers to become drunk, separation in families, and less income. Many people became supporters of Prohibition because of the hurt and suffering that Americans were experiencing. The power of women, health concerns, and World War 1, all lead up to the illegalization of alcohol.

    Read More

More about Temperance Movement During The Progressive Era

Open Document