BY: ASHLEY SUH, CRISTINA PREZIOSI , MACKENZIE BROWER

Temperance Movement

Background Info/Description

Causes of the movement: New immigrants, such as the Irish and Italians, were entering

the U.S. The Irish and Italians had a lot of drinking of alcohol in their

culture which heightened the amount of drinking in the U.S. to a certain extent

Since the end of the American Revolution, it became common for Americans to excessively drink alcohol because of the many economic and social problems of the country

Alcohol was seen as healthier to drink than water because most water sources were contaminated

There was an increase of violence in families from the men coming home drunk which fueled women to emerge as supporters of temperance 

Many men would get a pay check after work and would go to bars to drink, spending all the money that they had to support their families

Overall, alcohol and distilled beverages led to problems in health, destitution, crime, and violence

What is the Temperance Movement?

A social movement in the early 19th century that pushed people to

reduce and even abstain from the intake of alcohol or other

distilled beverages

This movement criticized the use of alcohol and promoted

complete abstinence, or the absolute prohibition of alcohol

Another word for complete abstinence is teetotalism

This movement was pushed for by women who’s families suffered

from their husbands drinking

Important Leaders

Lyman Beecher A Presbyterian minister who preached about abstaining from alcohol Gave six thunderous sermons on temperance Did not like the idea of drinking in moderation Was anti-Catholic because some Catholic ceremonies involved the

consumption of wine He preached about anti-slavery and had a lasting impact on his children,

notably Harriet Beecher Stowe, a famous abolitionist Despite his pro-abolition stance, he was racist against African Americans

and refused to let African Americans listen to his teachings Founder of the American Temperance Society which was established in

1826 in Boston, MA The American Temperance Society promoted abstinence from alcoholic

beverages and millions of Americans took the pledge to abstain from alcohol

Credited as the starter of the Second Great Awakening

Amelia Bloomer

A women’s rights and temperance supporter

Was the editor of the first women’s newspaper, “The

Lily”

“The Lily” was a temperance journal

Had a great influence over women

Accomplishments

There was a decline in alcohol consumption in the 1860s

Schools started to teach about the effects of alcoholism

Alcohol prohibition laws came into effect in several states, such as Maine

Connection to Jacksonian Democracy

The “cult of domesticity” from Jacksonian Democracy was challenged during the temperance movement by Amelia Bloomer. She wrote “The Lily”, her temperance newspaper. By writing this newspaper, Bloomer shows the dangers of men drinking and how it threatens the woman and children in their family. Since women couldn’t vote because of this “cult of domesticity”, Bloomer is showing her expression in government through writing, which also goes back to the idea of the “Rise of the Common Man”. Amelia Bloomer gained more women supporters as more women read her newspaper.

Quotes: •“The same Power that brought the slaves out of bondage will, in His own good time and way, bring about the emancipation of women, and make her equal in power and dominion that she was in the beginning.” –Bloomer

•“…Women eat, they drink, they sleep, they dress, they dance and at last they die, without having accomplished the great purposes of their creation.” –Bloomer’s salutary article in the Western Home Visitor

Multiple Choice Questions

Lyman Beecher did all of the following things EXCEPT:

a) Preach about temperanceb) Start the American Temperance Societyc) Preach about the flaws and prohibition of

immigrationd) Promote the prohibition of distilled

beverages

Multiple Choice Questions

The American Temperance Society was:a) An organization that supported women’s

rights and the prohibition of abolitionb) An organization that supported abolitionist

movements and supported temperancec) An organization that promoted alcoholism

and caused the Second Great Awakeningd) An organization that promoted temperance

and teetotalism

Multiple Choice Questions

The Temperance Movement was MOSTLY supported by:

a) Presbyterian ministers and anti-Catholicsb) Womenc) Free African Americansd) Jacksonian democrats