ACTIVISM Flashcards
Alcohol in the USA
Heavy drinking was an increasing problem
Foreign visitors marveled at the amount Americans drank. Almost any occasion afforded an excuse for having a drink.
WEBSTER CLAY
Bibukous and drinking was conducitve to hard work, prevent agaisnt disease
demon drink
TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT - million members and over 5000 branches
drinks - crime, poverty
1830 - 7 states regulate the drink trade by licensing laws - unconstitutional
Momentum for prohibition
Prohibition party was founded in 1869 and achieved local success.
However, it was the female voice that focused on issues identifiable with their `traditional sphere’ that women’s influence began to be felt.
division between women
WILARD - 1879 - 1898
WCTU - protect the home against drunkness
Protest,
Lemonade Lucy
persuaded her husband, President Hayes, to refuse to serve alcohol at White House functions in the 1870s, thus earning herself the nickname, `Lemonade Lucy’.
It was quite a propaganda coup for the movement
Carrie Nation
Hatchest destroy saloons
PROHIBITION SUCCESSFUL
Similarly, during the war, further propaganda against German owned breweries became useful to argue the case for prohibition.
It was also clear that the drys were much better organised than the wets.
n 1893, the Anti-Saloon League (ASL) was founded and quickly became the main organization lobbying for prohibition, particularly after the death of Frances Willard.
It was well supported by a variety of religious groups such as the Methodists and Baptists.
It quickly united with the WCTU and the combination succeeded in getting 9 states to legislate against drinking.
By 1917, 26 states had prohibition laws.
Eventually, the lobbying tactics and organised protests of both groups saw Congress pass a prohibition amendment in 1917.
By 1919 enough states had ratified the amendment for it to become law as the 18th Amendment
WONPR
WONPR _ 1929
18th amendemnt
Not all women supported temperance
Gisbon girls - new style of women
governments role in regulating behaviour
WONPR successful
the largest repeal organization in the country, with 50,000 members in New York the year after its founding and, by the time of Prohibition’s demise, 1.5 million reported members nationwide.
As a bi-partisan, single-issue organisation, WONPR was able to unite women and urge polititicsind
anglo women - class favoured the rich
non white and wokring class women to unite togetejr
