How did a moral argument snowball into national legislation? The Women’s Temperance Movement evolved from a social movement to legislation with the implementation of national Prohibition in 1919. The growth from a local organization into a worldwide union exemplified how women can come together and influence society, which had previously been solely a stage for men.
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Jetzt kostenlos anmeldenHow did a moral argument snowball into national legislation? The Women’s Temperance Movement evolved from a social movement to legislation with the implementation of national Prohibition in 1919. The growth from a local organization into a worldwide union exemplified how women can come together and influence society, which had previously been solely a stage for men.
Date | Event |
1800 | Americans began associating alcohol consumption and morality. |
The 1820s | Original temperance groups were founded. |
1822 | The American Christian Temperance was founded. |
1835 | Susan B. Anthony led the first Women's Temperance Convention. |
1869 | The Prohibition Party was founded. |
1874 | The Women's Christian Temperance Union was founded. |
1919 | The 18th amendment authorized prohibition. |
1933 | Prohibition was repealed. |
The Women's Christian Temperance Movement was a social movement led by women to achieve a reduction or a complete ban on the legal sale of alcoholic beverages through federal legislation. Members of the Women’s Temperance Movement believe that alcohol consumption is a common factor in societal ills. The belief that a reduction in alcohol consumption would result in better living conditions for women and children, especially, gained strong support. The Women’s Temperance Movement combined a moral and political argument, which polarized the issue further. The idea that crime and violence were largely due to alcohol consumption negates other contributing societal factors.
Women's Temperance Movement
A social movement with the goal of reducing or banning the sale and production of alcohol.
The Women's Temperance Movement was a social effort to either reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption on the basis of alcohol being a motivating factor in societal problems prevalent at the time. The initiative was born in the 19th century, but impacted legislation until the 20th century.
The movement became political as well as moral and was a key issue presented in elections both locally and nationally. The Women’s Temperance movement in the United States gained momentum in the 1800s and culminated in alcohol prohibition in 1919. The Women’s Temperance movement formed the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, a nationwide organization of women striving for societal change.
Nationwide Prohibition was the overall legislative goal of the Women’s Temperance Movement in their efforts to curb societal ills they believed to be caused by alcohol. The Prohibition Party was a political party that was uncommon for the time, including women in prominent roles, deferring to their experience in the preexisting temperance movement.
The Women’s Temperance Movement was led by women, in both conventional protesting accompanied by political reform as well as unconventional forms of protesting. The Women’s Temperance Movement was the first worldwide movement led by women for the betterment of domestic conditions.
Prohibition
The federal ban on the sale, production, and transportation of alcohol
The table below summarizes some leaders of the Women's Temperance Movement and their contributions.
Name | Role |
Mary Aston Rice Livermore |
|
Annie Turner Wittenmyer |
|
Mary Hannah Hanchett Hunt |
|
Frances Willard |
|
Carry Nation was a part of the Women’s Temperance Movement, operating on the fringe of the conventional movement. Her form of protest consisted of wielding a hatchet and destroying barrooms in her resident state of Kansas.
In 1890, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of legislation allowing for the importing of alcohol in its "original packaging." Nation’s response to the now flourishing saloons in the state was to storm the establishments and destroy as much as possible. She believed that the illegality of the saloons in Kansas (as per state law), allowed private citizens to enter and uphold the law.
In her view, upholding the law was destroying illegal establishments and stock. Her escapades saw her enter the governor's office in Topeka to press her cause.
During and after WWI, women in the United States took on new roles which were at odds with the pro-family values undertones of the Women's Temperance Movement. "The New Woman" lived by the motto of being able to do anything a man could do. The most well-known form is the 1920s Flapper.
Flapper
A woman of the 1920s who pushed stereotypes and engaged in typically men's activities.
Flappers were counterculture women of the Roaring Twenties, who challenged feminine stereotypes of the era, dabbling in activities that previously were restricted to men, like smoking and drinking. They usually wore short hair, and short hemlines, and were more open about sexuality, social clubs, and urban life.
The Women’s Christian Temperance Union was formed in 1874 with the main principle of advancing temperance as legislative action. In the beginning, while led by union president Annie Turner Wittenmyer, the temperance movement was focused solely, on the inclusion of women’s suffrage.
In 1879, Wittenmyer was replaced by Frances Willard, who believed suffrage was a key part of achieving prohibition and advancing women’s position in society. Willard broadened the scope of the WCTU to include organizing for women’s suffrage, along with the original goal. In 1883, the World WCTU was formed and in 1891 Willard was elected president. Willard also expanded the platform of the WCTU into working conditions and prison reform. The WCTU made powerful enemies in the alcohol industry that would later detract from the suffrage movement. After Willard died in 1898, the WCTU stepped away from platforms besides prohibition.
The temperance movement progressed alongside women’s suffrage. The organization used in the temperance movement evolved into the political and social efforts to attain women's right to vote. The temperance movement was a starting point for women to organize themselves beyond their local communities.
The temperance movement was the first national organization women were included, and this provided a plan to follow to achieve other social progress. Temperance and women’s suffrage were both platforms of social change. Not all temperance movement participators were also interested in supporting women’s suffrage. The inclusion of women’s suffrage in the platform of the WCTU was not seen as wholly beneficial for either cause. The temperance movement made staunch enemies of the alcohol industry and with suffrage included in their platform, the alcohol industry also opposed women’s suffrage.
Despite the efforts of the passionate women behind the Women's Temperance movement, federal prohibition was repealed with the 21st amendment. Prohibition was really hard to enforce. There was an increased demand for more alcohol. There were also issues with the government. Not all prohibition laws were the same, some enforcement officers were dishonest, and the government struggled to fund enforcement.
Over time, historians have developed different views on Prohibition. Before the 1960s, historians used to view supporters of prohibition as those who tried to change the morals of the country and failed. Over time, the opinion of those behind the temperance movement has shifted. Historians became more sympathetic. Others saw the temperance movement as an extension of progressivism.
How was the temperance movement an extension of progressivism? The temperance movement utilized social protest to gain support. It reflected the desires of regular workers and some immigrant groups. Alcohol was suddenly a major social issue, and it pushes feminist scholarship forward.
The goal of the Women's Temperance Movement was to enact a nationwide prohibition of alcohol.
Alcohol was viewed as a recurring factor in domestic violence, child abuse, divorce, and financial struggles.
The Women's Temperance Movement was the first international organization formed by women for women.
Religion was a large part of the movement, with the largest temperance organization being the Women's Christian Temperance Union.
Legal prohibition was enacted in 1919 by Constitutional Amendment.
The Women’s Temperance Movement is connected to women's suffrage through common leaders, as well as enemies. the combination of two largely controversial issues did not translate well into mainstream politics.
A social movement founded in 1874 in the United States by Christian women with the goal of a federal ban on the sale and manufacture of alcohol.
The women’s temperance movement was one of the first national (and later international) organizations of women with a unifying goal that had an impact on legislation.
The movement was led by women, prominent figures being Frances Willard, Carry Nation, Annie Turner Wittenmyer, and Mary Hannah Hanchett Hunt.
Women were organized under the belief that society could be improved through their efforts, and this carried over into the suffrage movement.
Women’s rights were becoming more of a prominent issue in the United States after the Civil War. The Civil War exposed many societal problems that mainly affected women and children. The temperance movement was part of women striving to use legislative change to improve their lives.
What was the goal of the Women's Temperance Movement?
To fight societal ills through a national alcohol prohibition. Women and children bore the brunt of many of the ill effects of alcohol use.
Who was the unconventional protestor that was known to use a hatchet in her efforts?
Carry Nation was a temperance leader in Kansas who fought illegal saloons by destroying stock and the establishments.
What constitutional amendment enacted national prohibition in the United States?
The 18th Amendment of the US Constitution which was enacted in 1919.
What was the first international women's organization?
The Women's Christian Temperance Union. Established in 1874 and the international sister organization was formed in 1883.
Who was the first president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union?
Annie Turner Wittenmyer, at the first convention in Cleveland, Ohio, and the formation of the WCTU in 1874.
Why did the temperance movement and women's suffrage eventually separate?
The temperance movement made powerful enemies in the alcohol industry and as long as the issues were presented together, women's suffrage was also opposed.
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