Mary Ingham, treasurer. Dio Lewis , were moved to a non-violent protest against the dangers of alcohol. Middle-class women took to the streets and held pray-ins outside local saloons, demanding that the sale of liquor be stopped. Within three months the women had driven liquor out of communities, and for the first time experienced what could be accomplished by standing together Gordon, In , the formidable Frances Willard became president of the WCTU and turned to political organizing as well as moral persuasion to achieve total abstinence.
The use of alcohol and other drugs was a symptom of the larger problems in society. By , 25 of the 39 departments of the WCTU were dealing with non-temperance issues. The movement grew in numbers and strength, and by the WCTU had nearly , dues-paying members Bordin, Along with public libraries, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Y.
Americanization activities took many forms but typically included English language clases and an introduction to American culture. The group is active internationally, and continues to publish a quarterly journal titled The Union Signal , whose main focus is current research and information on drugs.
Bordin, R. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. Dumenil, L. Oxford Encyclopedia of American Social History. The movement combined a concern for general social ills with religious sentiment and practical health considerations in a way that was appealing to many middle-class reformers. Women in particular were drawn to temperance in large numbers. The earliest temperance reformers were concerned with the overindulgence of American drinkers and encouraged moderation. By , the average American older than 15 consumed at least seven gallons of alcohol a year.
Alcohol abuse was rampant, and temperance advocates argued that it led to poverty and domestic violence. Some of these advocates were in fact former alcoholics themselves. Women were active in the movement from the beginning. Temperance was painted as a religious and moral duty that paired well with other feminine responsibilities. If total abstinence was achieved, the family, its home, its health and even its salvation would be secure.
Women crusaders, particularly middle-class Protestants, pointed toward the Christian virtues of prudence, temperance and chastity, and encouraged people to practice these virtues by abstaining from alcohol. The Civil War put an immediate, if temporary, end to early temperance efforts. States needed the tax revenue earned through alcohol sales, and many temperance reformers focused on bigger issues such as abolition or the health of soldiers.
As the United States returned to life as usual in the s, the next wave of temperance advocates set to work — this time with an aim at changing laws along with hearts. The WCTU was founded in , and it became a national social reform and lobbying organization the following year.
It focuses on educating Canadian society about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other non-prescription drugs. In , there were 1, members in 67 branches, as compared to 2, in See also Temperance Movement. Search The Canadian Encyclopedia. Remember me. I forgot my password. Why sign up? Create Account. Suggest an Edit. Enter your suggested edit s to this article in the form field below. Accessed 14 November In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published February 07, ; Last Edited October 12, The Canadian Encyclopedia , s.
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