Temperance Movement

Definition

The temperance movement was a social movement in the 19th and early 20th centuries that sought to curb or outlaw the consumption of alcoholic beverages. It was driven by a desire to improve individual and societal well-being through the elimination of the perceived negative effects of alcohol abuse.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The temperance movement gained momentum in the early 19th century, driven by concerns about the negative social and health impacts of alcohol abuse.
2. The movement was closely tied to the Second Great Awakening, a period of religious revivalism that emphasized individual moral reform and social betterment.
3. Temperance advocates argued that alcohol consumption led to a range of social ills, including domestic violence, poverty, and crime, and that abstinence was necessary for personal and societal improvement.
4. The Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was a key organization in the temperance movement, using grassroots activism and political lobbying to promote alcohol abstinence and women's suffrage.
5. The temperance movement's efforts culminated in the ratification of the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States from 1920 to 1933.

Review Questions

• Explain how the temperance movement was connected to the Second Great Awakening and the emphasis on individual moral reform.
  • The temperance movement was closely tied to the Second Great Awakening, a period of religious revivalism in the 19th century that emphasized individual moral reform and social betterment. The temperance movement shared the Second Great Awakening's focus on personal responsibility and the belief that societal problems could be addressed through changes in individual behavior. Temperance advocates argued that alcohol consumption was a moral failing that led to a range of social ills, and that abstinence was necessary for personal and societal improvement, aligning with the Second Great Awakening's emphasis on individual moral reform as a pathway to social progress.
• Describe the role of the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) in the temperance movement and its connection to the broader push for women's rights.
  • The Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was a key organization in the temperance movement, using grassroots activism and political lobbying to promote alcohol abstinence and women's suffrage. The WCTU recognized that alcohol abuse disproportionately affected women and children, and they saw the fight against alcohol as inextricably linked to the broader struggle for women's rights and social justice. By advocating for both temperance and women's suffrage, the WCTU sought to empower women and address the social and economic challenges they faced due to the negative impacts of alcohol consumption within their families and communities.
• Analyze the long-term impact of the temperance movement, particularly the ratification of the 18th Amendment and the subsequent repeal of Prohibition.
  • The temperance movement's efforts culminated in the ratification of the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States from 1920 to 1933. While Prohibition was intended to address the social ills associated with alcohol consumption, it ultimately had unintended consequences, including the rise of organized crime, the proliferation of unsafe black-market alcohol, and a decline in tax revenue. The 18th Amendment was eventually repealed with the ratification of the 21st Amendment in 1933, marking the end of Prohibition. The temperance movement's long-term impact, however, continued to shape attitudes and policies around alcohol consumption, with ongoing debates about the appropriate role of government in regulating the availability and use of alcoholic beverages.

Related terms

Prohibition: The national ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States from 1920 to 1933.

Abstinence: The practice of refraining from consuming alcoholic beverages, a key tenet of the temperance movement.

Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU): A prominent organization that played a leading role in the temperance movement, advocating for alcohol abstinence and women's suffrage.