Temperance+Movement+19th+Century+7

toc =** Temperance Movement 19th Century **=

The increase in the consumption of alcohol in the 19th century lead to the many cases of alcoholism. The wives of the drunken men grouped together along with past alcoholics, religious enthusiasts, and other notable figures made the country rethink about about alcohol and it's deadly side effects through the Temperance Movement. Temperance, also known as **Teetotalism**, is the practice of abstinence or moderation with alcoholic beverages. The Temperance Movement succeeded in raising the awareness of the dangers of alcohol, getting thousands of people to stop drinking or drink in moderation, and it caused Prohibition Laws in 1919.

[[image:http://www.lostmuseum.cuny.edu/images/cruikshank2.jpg width="352" height="231" align="right" caption="Drunkard beating his wife"]]
In the years leading up the Temperance Movement, alcohol was very important to the average American.

Alcohol was a common, cheap and clean drink as opposed to water and milk which could be contaminated. It was also commonly used in medicine and pain relief, and even to quiet crying babies. In fact, alcohol was so common that a total of over **$1 billion** was spent on alcohol, and the average American consumed almost **1.7** bottles of hard liquor a week.

The over-consumption of alcohol eventually led to many cases of alcoholism. The **alcoholism** could lead to poverty and violence. Women who were usually the **victims of drunken husbands** wanted were generally the first speakers against alcohol. Many **Christian Protestants**, particularly Evangelicals, considered drinking and alcohol ungodly and sinful. Furthermore, **wealthy factory owners** had disdain for alcohol. They saw it as making their workers slack and inefficient, and gladly promoted it's prohibition. Soon many organizations were started that were against the consumption of alcohol.

Temperance Plays
There were many plays that had a common theme of temperance that opened people's eyes about the consequences of alcoholism and excessive drinking. **The Drunkard**, written by William H. Smith, was one of the more popular plays of the temperance era. Smith's play was so popular that P.T. Barnum adopted the play and showed it in his American Museum where he further pushed the temperance movement by providing water instead of the commonly provided alcoholic beverages. Excerpt from The Drunkard

Prohibition Laws
In 1838 Massachusetts passed a bill **prohibiting the sale of liquor** in quantities smaller than fifteen gallons. This law was repealed in 1840, but Massachusetts passed a local option that allowed towns to forbid the sale of liquor. By 1845, over 100 towns in Massachusetts were alcohol free. In 1846 the state of Maine passed a state wide prohibition act, and in **1851** it passed the **Maine Laws**. The Maine laws forbade the sale of all alcohol except for alcohol used for medicinal, mechanical, or manufacturing purposes. These laws were so inspiring that throughout the 1850's, 14 other states introduced 'Maine Laws.'

Pledges
Signing an **Abstinence Pledge** was making a promise a not to drink alcohol. To become a member of many of the temperance groups you were required to sign a pledge. Pledges were also given to average citizens to sign to raise awareness of the problems of alcohol.To the right is an example of one of the Abstinence pledges.

The Second Great Awakening
Starting in the late 18th century, the **Second Great Awakening** was an attempt by Protestant religions to revive religion, feeling they were straying from the path of god. Many people, particularly religious enthusiasts and **Evangelicals**, felt that drinking alcohol and liquor was sinful. According to them, people who drank alcohol "lost their faith in God and ceased to observe the teachings of Jesus." Different sects of Protestantism, such as Methodists, Evangelicals, and Baptists banded together to denounce and reject the drinking of alcohol. They believed that alcohol and liquor would defile America and was an atrocity to god. Furthermore, many Protestants formed temperance societies that attracted thousands of both religious and non-religious members.

Key Figures and Organizations
__**Temperance Societies**__

Temperance societies began forming in the early 1800's in an effort to persuade people to temper their drinking of alcohol. These societies attracted members who wished to refrain from alcohol, and also those who wished to help others do so.

American Society for the Promotion of Temperance
Created in **1826**, The **American Society for the Promotion of Temperance** became the first national temperance organization in America. By 1834, the Society boasted over 5,000 local chapters with over 1 million members nationwide. The Society ruled that it was mandatory for all of it's members must **abstain from drinking alcohol.** In addition to temperance, the Society also promoted the abolition of slavery, the expansion of women's rights, and the improvement of society. Because it was seen as an abolitionist movement, it was most successful in **New England**.



The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)
Founded in **1873**, The **Woman's Christian Temperance Union** was attractive to women whose husbands were drunkards, and many of whom were beaten by their husbands. The Union's members would often **demonstrate** outside of saloons and bars. At the Union's peak in 1892, the union had over **150,000 members.**

** Washingtonians **
In **1840,** when **six heavy drinkers** gave up alcohol, the Washingtonians were founded. Their goal was to help members give up alcohol by relying on each other and also with divine help. The members shared their experiences with one another, as well as encouraging mutual aid. While many other organizations such as the clergy thought that drunkards were evil and irredeemable, the Washingtonians were different because they **reached out to fellow drinkers.** The Washingtonians reached its peak in the 1850's and 60's, with membership in the tens, if not hundreds of thousands.



Sons of Temperance
The **Sons of Temperance** were founded in the early **1840's** as a Protestant fraternal order. They were a highly exclusive order that focused on temperance and **mutual support for members**. The order also focused on other progressive movements like abolition. By the late 1850's, the order had over 5000 chapter houses. Important Prohibitionist __**
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P.T. Barnum
**P.T. Barnum**, (July 5, 1810 -- April 7, 1891), was a big figure in the temperance movement. He was an avid temperance speaker but the act he was known for most in the temperance movement was showing "**The Drunkard**" in his American Museum and also serving only water. This was new for the time because alcohol was usually expected at shows. He also made it so that anyone who went to a nearby saloon during the intermission, had to pay another fee to see the second act. This lessened the consumption of alcohol at the event in addition to the morals that were taught in "The Drunkard."

Neal S. Dow
====== **Neal S. Dow**, (March 20, 1804 – October 2, 1897), nicknamed the "Napoleon of Temperance" and the "Father of the Prohibition", was a prohibitionist mayor of Portland, Maine, and a major leader of the Temperance Movement. Neal Dow's interest in Temperance stems from the large amount of intemperance in his youth, as well as his **Quaker upbringing** and temperance-oriented parents. Dow was especially known for his harsh views on alcohol and his fierce promoting of complete prohibition. In 1827, Dow helped found the **Maine Temperance Society**. In **1851**, he was elected **mayor of Portland**, Maine, where he began attempting to pass alcohol-banning laws through Maine's legislature. One month later, he drafted the '**Maine Laws**' which were passed by Maine's governor. These renowned laws pushed Dow to the peak of his temperance career with national fame; however, do to a violation of the Maine Laws, in which he was charged with selling alcohol illegally, Dow was put on trial and acquitted. A mob began rioting around the building in which the liquor was being held, and Dow had several militiamen fire into the crowd where one man was killed and seven injured. These events were major in the later **repeal** of the Maine Laws. Fourteen years later, returning from the Civil War, Dow co-founded the National Temperance Society and Publishing House. In 1880, Dow was the **Prohibition Party's candidate** for the election--he came in fourth place with 10,305 votes. media type="youtube" key="dOpROIcNgtA" height="385" width="480" align="center"

**__ Government Organizations __**

The Prohibition Party and Clinton Fisk
The **Prohibition Party** was founded in **1869** with the intent of prohibiting alcohol in the United States. It's first National Chairman was John Russell, from Michigan. While the Party was fairly successful in getting specific towns and counties to outlaw alcohol, it augmented its stance on prohibition with other reform movements such as women's rights in order to gain national popularity. However, the Prohibition Party never won an election. The Prohibition Party **still exists today** in the United States, although it receives an insignificant amount of votes almost every election.

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**Clinton Fisk** (December 8, 1828 – July 9, 1890) was a prominent leader of the Temperance Movement and very successful candidate for the Prohibition Party. Born in New York and raised in Michigan, Fisk was both an avid abolitionist and teetotal. Fisk served with distinction in the American Civil War, and was eventually chosen as the presidential candidate for the Prohibition Party in **1888.** Fisk came in third with 249,506 votes--one of the highest ever merited by a Prohibition candidate. media type="youtube" key="IDdM_JOI8Og" height="385" width="480" align="center"

Successes
The Temperance Movement of the 19th century was the starting point of a movement that has lasted until even today. It was only the beginning, but through the help of the important figures and organizations, the movement made an entire country re-think their views on alcohol. This caused the **18th amendment, which prohibited alcohol in the United States**, to be passed in **1919****.** The amendment brought in the age of Prohibition in the United States banning all of the sale of alcohol until the law was **repealed in 1933.**

Temperance and alcohol also served as an issue that united many people and factions within the United States. Protestants and other religious enthusiasts banded together to dissuade people from drinking alcohol, which helped fuel the **Second Great Awakening**. Additionally, women, especially pious Christians and the wives of drunkards, banded together to form such organizations such as Woman's Christian Temperance Movement. These movements of women significantly helped promote women's rights, and other such organizations assisted in **promoting abolition as well as other reformation movements**.