During the 19th century, the circulation of alcoholic beverages started expanding throughout the United States. The availability of alcohol grew tremendously, and so did the negative consequences of the fermented drink. Excessive alcohol consumption promoted violence within families, contributed to health problems, and developed an addiction in the consumer. Therefore, social groups began to oppose the consumption of alcohol.
Religious groups were the first to go against drinking. Although the bible does not condemn the use of wine itself, it states that the actions of being under the influence are considered a sin. They believed this was an inappropriate use of God’s gifts, “Drunkenness was perceived as the failure of man to use God’s gifts properly and not as an evil intrinsic to the intoxicating liquid itself.” [1]. Social groups proposed a regulation and even a total prohibition of the consumption of the drink. Temperance was promoted by the implementation of national legislation and laws.
The church was the primary group that worked to further the temperance movement. Temperance was perceived as an act of following God’s will.
Initially, religious groups strived to convince people of being sober by moral persuasion, but eventually they began to take legal steps to correct the
issue.
“In the mid 19th century, the temperance crusaders turned from moral persuasion to legal coercion.” [2]. The temperance movement had reached legal authorities and was able to have the 18th Amendment passed on December 22, 1917. This seemed like a huge advancement
towards the control of alcohol consumption practices; however, the law was not as effective as planned. Society did not react to the law as expected, and temperance was not achieved because “though they won a temporary victory, alcohol’s adversaries lost their war.” [3]. The church’s activist actions contributed to the temperance movement significantly, but the efforts of religious activists were not enough to eradicate the issue.
Some states began to take action to regulate the excessive alcoholic consuming practices. Protestant temperance groups appeared in Rhode Island in the early 19th century, “the Providence Temperance Union (1830), and the Providence (Union) Temperance Society (1832). “ [4]. Temperance organizations began to emerge quickly in Rhode Island. By 1830 “their collective membership exceeded 2,200 people” [5]. In Indianapolis, temperance was not supported by the majority until the 1830’s. They turned to alcohol consumption because of the convenience use of the sources they had such as corn and grains, “Hoosiers before 1840 used alcohol regularly, in part because it was one of the easiest ways to convert corn and other grains into a marketable, or at least less perishable, commodity” [6].
Temperance or abstinence from drinking alcohol was continuously sought during the 19th century through the imposition of laws and the efforts of
organizations around the country. This activism was partially successful as the laws had very little effect. The causes for drinking are rooted very deeply in each individual and simply forcing people not to drink has proven not to be enough to stop this issue.
[1]Peterson, J. A. (1998). Rum, ruin and revival: Protestant hymns and the temperance movement. (M.A., Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.
[2,3 ] WEBB, H. (1999). Temperance movements and prohibition. International Social Science Review, 74(1/2), 61-69.
[4,5 ] Carcieri, P. T. (2007). A history of temperance and prohibition in rhode island, 1820--1916. (Ph.D., Providence College). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses,
[6 ] Sample, B. W. (2006). "Firmly and conscientiously attached to the cause of temperance": The anti-alcohol movement in indianapolis, 1825--1856. (Ph.D., Purdue University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
Religious groups were the first to go against drinking. Although the bible does not condemn the use of wine itself, it states that the actions of being under the influence are considered a sin. They believed this was an inappropriate use of God’s gifts, “Drunkenness was perceived as the failure of man to use God’s gifts properly and not as an evil intrinsic to the intoxicating liquid itself.” [1]. Social groups proposed a regulation and even a total prohibition of the consumption of the drink. Temperance was promoted by the implementation of national legislation and laws.
The church was the primary group that worked to further the temperance movement. Temperance was perceived as an act of following God’s will.
Initially, religious groups strived to convince people of being sober by moral persuasion, but eventually they began to take legal steps to correct the
issue.
“In the mid 19th century, the temperance crusaders turned from moral persuasion to legal coercion.” [2]. The temperance movement had reached legal authorities and was able to have the 18th Amendment passed on December 22, 1917. This seemed like a huge advancement
towards the control of alcohol consumption practices; however, the law was not as effective as planned. Society did not react to the law as expected, and temperance was not achieved because “though they won a temporary victory, alcohol’s adversaries lost their war.” [3]. The church’s activist actions contributed to the temperance movement significantly, but the efforts of religious activists were not enough to eradicate the issue.
Some states began to take action to regulate the excessive alcoholic consuming practices. Protestant temperance groups appeared in Rhode Island in the early 19th century, “the Providence Temperance Union (1830), and the Providence (Union) Temperance Society (1832). “ [4]. Temperance organizations began to emerge quickly in Rhode Island. By 1830 “their collective membership exceeded 2,200 people” [5]. In Indianapolis, temperance was not supported by the majority until the 1830’s. They turned to alcohol consumption because of the convenience use of the sources they had such as corn and grains, “Hoosiers before 1840 used alcohol regularly, in part because it was one of the easiest ways to convert corn and other grains into a marketable, or at least less perishable, commodity” [6].
Temperance or abstinence from drinking alcohol was continuously sought during the 19th century through the imposition of laws and the efforts of
organizations around the country. This activism was partially successful as the laws had very little effect. The causes for drinking are rooted very deeply in each individual and simply forcing people not to drink has proven not to be enough to stop this issue.
[1]Peterson, J. A. (1998). Rum, ruin and revival: Protestant hymns and the temperance movement. (M.A., Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.
[2,3 ] WEBB, H. (1999). Temperance movements and prohibition. International Social Science Review, 74(1/2), 61-69.
[4,5 ] Carcieri, P. T. (2007). A history of temperance and prohibition in rhode island, 1820--1916. (Ph.D., Providence College). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses,
[6 ] Sample, B. W. (2006). "Firmly and conscientiously attached to the cause of temperance": The anti-alcohol movement in indianapolis, 1825--1856. (Ph.D., Purdue University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses