Progressivism & Social Changes

**Prohibition

What was prohibited by “Prohibition” in the U.S.?

A. Alcohol consumptionB. Chinese ImmigrationC. Women votingD. Child labor

NOTICE! Prohibition ≠ prohibition

Poll

Before you started studying this chapter, did you know that the U.S. had once banned alcohol?

A. Yes.B. No!

Question

Alcohol was prohibited in the U.S. during most of the Progressive Era.

A. TrueB. False

Questions I will answer in today’s lecture:

• How, when & why was alcohol prohibited in America?

• Why was Prohibition repealed (cancelled) later?

• What was life like in America during the Prohibition Era?

Social Change Movements(Progressivism)

Women were especially vocal about moral issues:

• Suffrage (equal voting rights for women)

• Social Work (helping the poor)

• Temperance (Not drinking alcohol)

II. The Temperance Movement(1850s – 1919)

Problems with Alcohol1 - Too many saloons (1 per 150 people)

• Saloons couldn’t make $$$–Added gambling–Added prostitution

Problems with Alcohol

2 - Social workers saw family problems–Men wasting money at saloons–Violence toward wives / children

Problems with Alcohol

3 - Alcohol-related disease• Alcoholism (addiction)• Liver Damage• Early Death

Temperance Campaign (1850 – 1920)

1. Temperance Beliefs:– Alcohol = Evil– Even 1 drink addiction! – All problems caused by alcohol

(unemployment, poverty, crime, immorality, violence, disease, inequality of women)

2. Solution: Make America “dry”

Temperance Campaign

3. Also an Anti-Immigrant campaign

“Cultures of drink”

• Irish (whiskey)

• Germans (beer)

• Italians (wine)

• Russians (vodka)

4. The role of women in the Temperance Movement

• Vocal & politically active

• Vocal & politically active

The role of women in the Temperance Movement

The role of women in the Temperance Movement

• Vocal & politically active

• Won men’s support for equal voting rights

• 1920 – 19th Amendment = universal suffrage

III. Anti-Alcohol Legislation

Anti-Alcohol Legislation• 1850s – 1918 - Many local laws

• 1919 - The Volstead Act (national law)– Prohibited the production, sale, & transport of

alcohol for drinking

• 1919 - 18th Amendment to the Constitution

(a.k.a “Prohibition”- effective as of 1920)

NOTE!

Progressive Era ≠ Prohibition Era

IV. Prohibition Era in America(1920-1933)

Alcohol Vocabulary

• Liquor = alcohol• Booze (slang) = alcohol• To go on a bender = (slang) to drink a lot• A speakeasy = a secret, illegal club or bar that

served alcohol during Prohibition

Bootleg (adj) / Bootlegger (n. person)

Original meaning

Prohibition Era

Today

Documentary – Homework Check

Comprehension Questions

Who made a lot of money during Prohibition?A. The U.S. GovernmentB. The PoliceC. Organized criminal gangsD. Temperance leaders

Comprehension Questions

According to the video, drinking ____________ during the Prohibition Era.

A. increasedB. stayed the sameC. decreased

Documentary – Images of ProhibitionWhat did you see in the video?

V. The Repeal of Prohibition

Why was Prohibition repealed in 1933?

1. Crime soared– Bootleggers and gangsters made a fortune.

Al Capone Most powerful gangster in Chicago

Why was Prohibition repealed in 1933?

2. Drinking actually increased– Glamorous speakeasies (for women too!)

Maybe!

18501860

1870

1871-80

1881-90

1891-95

1896-1900

1901-05

1906-10

1911-15

1916-19 1934

19351936

19371938

19391940

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Gallons of Alcohol consumed per person per year

Source: U.S. Alcohol Epidemiologic Data Reference Manual (Vol. 1, Rockville, Md. : U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1985): Accessed at: http://prohibition.osu.edu/brewing/consumption.cfm

Increase in Drinking is Disputed!

Why was Prohibition repealed in 1933?

3. Alcohol-related deaths increased– Homemade alcohol was dangerous.

Why was Prohibition repealed in 1933?

4. Public Pressure

Why was Prohibition repealed in 1933?

5. Enforcement took too much time and $• Lawyers• Police

What was happening in America in 1933?

• The Great Depression –Very weak economy–High unemployment

• Repeal of Prohibition = –Gov’t could collect liquor taxes– Jobs!

VI. Drinking in America Today

What is the legal drinking age in the U.S. today?

A. 16B. 18C. 20D. 21E. No limit

What is the legal drinking age in your country?

A. None. Anyone can drink legally.B. 18C. 19D. 20E. None. It is illegal to drink alcohol.