(above)"The Drunkard's Progress," from "A Glass With a Friend" to "Death by Suicide" in nine steps, 1846, hand-colored lithograph.
During the Temperance movement of the 19th century, many Americans began to take sides as to whether they agreed or disagreed with the consumption of alcohol. Unlike the Prohibition era, the Temperance movement didn’t seek to prohibit alcohol, but encourage Americans to moderate their drinking habits for the good of society. In order to aware others of the movement, temperance societies were formed that released propagandas against the bad effects of alcohol[1]. The propaganda present in this time period spread the importance of the movement by displaying publically a group’s view on the matter.
With the use of propaganda many people, such as medical professor Benjamin Rush, expressed their opinion on what was taking place. Rush viewed the movement as a chance to let Americans know that alcohol could have a negative effect on people’s health and the economy. He helped publicize the matter by releasing pamphlets that expressed “people corrupted by strong drink cannot long be a free people”[2]. Along with a various number of pamphlets that he released, he also released to the public illustrations in his essays that linked “spirituous liquors with increasingly serious vices, diseases, and punishments”[3]. As stated in an article by Carlson, “Temperance literature passed freely around the country, knowing no regional bounds” which allowed propaganda to be seen by much of the public[4]. As a result, the importance of the movement would rise with the people observing the propaganda that would soon cause the topic to be brought up in their local communities[5]. With the mass production of papers during this time, the people had the ability to view these ideas and help drive the movement by developing opinions of their own.
The most effective form of propaganda that took place during the Temperance movement was the illustration of what happens to men that consume alcohol. In a painting done by Currier titled “The Drunkards Progress: From the First Glass to the Grave”, the effects of one glass of alcohol are shown on a young man throughout various stages of his life[6]. What first starts off as an innocent drink slowly ends up progressing into a bad habit that ends with the drunken man committing suicide[7]. The painting attempts to persuade people into believing that one glass of alcohol can lead to a miserable life. Currier in this case, uses propaganda to try and reduce the number of people that are against temperance[8]. Paintings such as these were typical forms of propaganda that would be displayed in public for passerby’s to see[9]. This was especially done by many temperance societies at the time in order to display what their society believed or stood for[10]. The goal was to display the exaggerated truth of alcohol in a unique way in order to capture someone’s attention. Displaying these images in populated areas allowed the movement to thrive by providing a way to publicize it visually, which allowed even children to see what could happen to them if they consumed distilled liquor.
While there were other factors that led to the popularity of the Temperance movement, propaganda played an important role because it had different ways of attracting the people’s attention. It allowed people to express their opinions in a way that is biased in order to obtain followers that agree with the message that’s being delivered. It drove the movement by being in a time where things were being mass produced allowing plenty to see. Whether it was an essay or a painting, it increased the awareness of the topic by trying to persuade people into seeing the reality of alcohol and how it doesn’t have to necessarily be prohibited, but how it should be sacrificed for the well being of the individual[11].
[1] The Alcoholic Republic: Temperance in the United States." The Journal of Presbyterian History (1997-) 81.1 (2003): 60-3. Print.
[2] Katcher, Brian S. "Benjamin Rush's Educational Campaign Against Hard Drinking." American Journal of Public Health 83.2 (1993): 273-81.
Print.
[3] Katcher, Brian S. "Benjamin Rush's Educational Campaign Against Hard Drinking." American Journal of Public Health 83.2 (1993): 273-81.
Print.
[4] Carlson, Douglas W. ""Drinks He to His Own Undoing": Temperance Ideology in the Deep South." Journal of the Early Republic 18.4 (1998):
659-91. Print.
[5] Appleby, Joyce. "The Personal Roots of the First American Temperance Movement." Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 141.2 (1997): 141-59. Print.
[6] Currier, N. The Drunkards Progress. From the First Glass to the Grave.1846. New York. N. Currier. Web. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.32719.
[7]Currier, N. The Drunkards Progress. From the First Glass to the Grave.1846. New York. N. Currier. Web.
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.32719.
[8]Rohrer, James R. "The Origins of the Temperance Movement: A Reinterpretation." Journal of American Studies 24.2 (1990): 228-35. Print.
[9] WEBB, HOLLAND. "Temperance Movements and Prohibition." International Social Science Review 74.1/2 (1999): 61-9. Print.
[10] McKeever, Jane L. "The Woman's Temperance Publishing Association." The Library Quarterly 55.4 (1985): 365-97. Print.
[11] Katcher, Brian S. "Benjamin Rush's Educational Campaign Against Hard Drinking." American Journal of Public Health 83.2 (1993): 273-81. Print.
With the use of propaganda many people, such as medical professor Benjamin Rush, expressed their opinion on what was taking place. Rush viewed the movement as a chance to let Americans know that alcohol could have a negative effect on people’s health and the economy. He helped publicize the matter by releasing pamphlets that expressed “people corrupted by strong drink cannot long be a free people”[2]. Along with a various number of pamphlets that he released, he also released to the public illustrations in his essays that linked “spirituous liquors with increasingly serious vices, diseases, and punishments”[3]. As stated in an article by Carlson, “Temperance literature passed freely around the country, knowing no regional bounds” which allowed propaganda to be seen by much of the public[4]. As a result, the importance of the movement would rise with the people observing the propaganda that would soon cause the topic to be brought up in their local communities[5]. With the mass production of papers during this time, the people had the ability to view these ideas and help drive the movement by developing opinions of their own.
The most effective form of propaganda that took place during the Temperance movement was the illustration of what happens to men that consume alcohol. In a painting done by Currier titled “The Drunkards Progress: From the First Glass to the Grave”, the effects of one glass of alcohol are shown on a young man throughout various stages of his life[6]. What first starts off as an innocent drink slowly ends up progressing into a bad habit that ends with the drunken man committing suicide[7]. The painting attempts to persuade people into believing that one glass of alcohol can lead to a miserable life. Currier in this case, uses propaganda to try and reduce the number of people that are against temperance[8]. Paintings such as these were typical forms of propaganda that would be displayed in public for passerby’s to see[9]. This was especially done by many temperance societies at the time in order to display what their society believed or stood for[10]. The goal was to display the exaggerated truth of alcohol in a unique way in order to capture someone’s attention. Displaying these images in populated areas allowed the movement to thrive by providing a way to publicize it visually, which allowed even children to see what could happen to them if they consumed distilled liquor.
While there were other factors that led to the popularity of the Temperance movement, propaganda played an important role because it had different ways of attracting the people’s attention. It allowed people to express their opinions in a way that is biased in order to obtain followers that agree with the message that’s being delivered. It drove the movement by being in a time where things were being mass produced allowing plenty to see. Whether it was an essay or a painting, it increased the awareness of the topic by trying to persuade people into seeing the reality of alcohol and how it doesn’t have to necessarily be prohibited, but how it should be sacrificed for the well being of the individual[11].
[1] The Alcoholic Republic: Temperance in the United States." The Journal of Presbyterian History (1997-) 81.1 (2003): 60-3. Print.
[2] Katcher, Brian S. "Benjamin Rush's Educational Campaign Against Hard Drinking." American Journal of Public Health 83.2 (1993): 273-81.
Print.
[3] Katcher, Brian S. "Benjamin Rush's Educational Campaign Against Hard Drinking." American Journal of Public Health 83.2 (1993): 273-81.
Print.
[4] Carlson, Douglas W. ""Drinks He to His Own Undoing": Temperance Ideology in the Deep South." Journal of the Early Republic 18.4 (1998):
659-91. Print.
[5] Appleby, Joyce. "The Personal Roots of the First American Temperance Movement." Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 141.2 (1997): 141-59. Print.
[6] Currier, N. The Drunkards Progress. From the First Glass to the Grave.1846. New York. N. Currier. Web. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.32719.
[7]Currier, N. The Drunkards Progress. From the First Glass to the Grave.1846. New York. N. Currier. Web.
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.32719.
[8]Rohrer, James R. "The Origins of the Temperance Movement: A Reinterpretation." Journal of American Studies 24.2 (1990): 228-35. Print.
[9] WEBB, HOLLAND. "Temperance Movements and Prohibition." International Social Science Review 74.1/2 (1999): 61-9. Print.
[10] McKeever, Jane L. "The Woman's Temperance Publishing Association." The Library Quarterly 55.4 (1985): 365-97. Print.
[11] Katcher, Brian S. "Benjamin Rush's Educational Campaign Against Hard Drinking." American Journal of Public Health 83.2 (1993): 273-81. Print.