The Temperance Movement in America - Essay Example

Introduction The nineteenth century was a period of reforms including religious, political, and social reforms. It was also a period marred with many challenges such as the two World Wars, the civil war in America, and the Cold War. During this time, many reform movements cropped up agitating for various remedies. The most prominent movements included: abolitionism temperance, educational reforms, prison reforms, and women’s rights. The focus of this paper will be to discuss the objectives sought by reformers in those reform movements and to establish the relationship between antislavery and women rights as viewed by the Grimke sisters. The temperance movement was a culmination of growing religious and moral sentiments in the North. The main goal of the temperance movement according to Blocker, Tyrrell and Fahey was “to define and control alcohol consumption” (40). During the colonial era drinking was socially acceptable but in the nineteenth century it was found to be no longer respectable as it viewed as the cause of social evils. Alcoholism was often associated with evils such as domestic violence, poverty, crime, prostitution and poor health and as such needed to be regulated. The aim was not to ban drinking and eliminate the production of alcohol but to moderate its use as it was affecting the economic development. Later in the nineteenth century, the movement advocated for abstinence from drinking alcoholic beverages and this goal was achieved in 1920 when “manufacture, sale and transport of alcoholic beverages in the US and its possessions” was prohibited nationwide through the eighteenth Amendment to the US constitution (Blocker et al. 42). The first national organization responsible for temperance efforts was the American Temperance Society (ATS) founded in 1826. Women also played a great role in pushing for temperance reforms as they had moral influence. They did this through Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) formed in 1874. Another organization that played crucial role in pushing for legislative agenda was the Anti-Saloon League of America (ASLA). It saw the passing of eighteenth Amendment although it was repealed in 1833. The Educational Reform movement was also prominent during this period. Education was viewed as the cause and solution of many problems in the society hence it was geared to solving current problems of each epoch. Reformers like John Dewey believed that the society could only be reformed through education reforms (Horn 42). According to Berube (99) and Horn (41-55) there were three educational reform movements: progressives in the 1950s; equity movement of 1960s and 1970s; excellence movement of 1980s and 1990s. Each movement had its own goals. Reformers like Horace Mann and William Torry Harris in the period 1800 to 1950s advocated for a common curriculum in schools to allow assimilation of immigrants who were in great numbers (Horn 31-35). The goal of education was thus to gain higher thinking skills, develop moral character and social responsibility. Before, curriculum taught classic languages such as Greek and Latin thus the need for reforms with subjects such as arithmetic, mathematics, geography, history, grammar and art being part of curriculum. Education of this period was thus used to achieve non academic goals. Reform in the 1950s was also pushed by external factors such the Cold war and communism. The launch of a Soviet missile (Sputnik) in 1957 over American space made reformers to seek for education which is scientific oriented to curb communism (Berube 99). It was also a period for ending racial segregation especially with the 1954 Supreme Court decision on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka which overruled the “separate but equal” decision making segregation to be a discriminatory act (Horn 44). The 1960s and 1970s was period of equity reforms in education especially with the enactment of Civil Rights Act of 1964. The goal of reformists at this time was to remove disparities between social classes by curbing poverty and enhancing women rights in education (Horn 45-47). The handicapped children were also on the reform agenda. In 1980s and 1990s, excellence was the main goal of reformers. Education was thus geared towards development of human resources so as to be useful members in the economy; that is, education linked to economic and business needs (p.50). This was to be achieved by raising academic standards and in the 2000s; national standards and accountability measures were introduced. Bennett the secretary of education emphasized this by stating that “the sole purpose of education should be development of intellect” (p.55). In a nutshell, educational reforms were aimed at development of moral character, excellence and equity in public schools. Prison reformers on the other hand, aimed at eliminating punishment in prisons and move towards rehabilitative measures so as to “improve the soul of a convict” (Frank 4). Prisoners received severe punishment like whipping, execution and incarceration and these measures were not helping to curb crime. Dorothea Dix was also vocal in supporting reforms fro the mentally ill After the War of 1812. She thus established insane asylums to rehabilitate them instead of the inhumane poor houses. By rehabilitating prisoners, reformers believed they could become productive members of the society in future since they would acquire self-discipline. The most prominent reform movement of the time was the antislavery or abolitionism movement which began in 1820s and 1830s. Slave trade brought a lot slaves in America who worked under very poor conditions and were agitating for freedom and equality as American citizens. According to Frank, the movement was led by white elite males and its main goal was gradual emancipation of slaves. However, these reformists envisaged an emigration to Africa of freed slaves to establish own colony there but the blacks were against this. The black reformists thus later changed the goal to immediate end to slavery and equality (Frank 5). Slavery was seen as a sin that needs to be eliminated. Arthur Tappan and Garrison were the prominent reformists of the time. Later, women like Hellen Garrison, Lydia Maria and the Grimke sisters (Angelina & Sarah) joined the cause. These Grimke sisters offered lectures on behalf of the American anti-slavery society (AASS) and as such were rebuked by the Congregational clergy for assuming public role of men in 1837. The goals of this movement were achieved through the emancipation proclamation of 1863 and later the Fourteenth (1868) and Fifteenth (1870) Amendments to the US constitution which granted African Americans civil rights (Frank 4-7).Women were very much active in the antislavery movement and they later used that platform to institute their own reforms. As a result, the women’s rights movement was born. The women’s rights movement as described by the Grimke sisters was prompted by their efforts in the antislavery efforts and also in the temperance movement. The main goal of the movement according to Frank was “equal rights for women” (7). This was in the belief that men and women were created equal and should be treated equal before the law. Besides being discriminated on basis of race, women also suffered discrimination due to their gender. Though black men were granted suffrage, women both white and blacks were not hence the agitation for suffrage. However, some antislavery reformers like the Tappan brothers (Lewis & Arthur) were not accommodating to women rights as they felt this would damage their cause hence left the movement and formed their own in 1840 (Frank 8). Garrison on the other hand continued with this fight as women were very crucial in the antislavery movement. Works Cited Berube, Maurice R. Radical Reformers: The Influence of the Left in American Education. USA: Information Age Publishing, 2004. Blocker, Jack S Jr., Tyrrell, Ian R and Fahey, David M. Alcohol and Temperance in Modern History: An International Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc, 2003. Frank, Lisa Tendrich (ed). Women in the American Civil War, Volume I. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc, 2008. Horn, Raymond A. Understanding Educational Reform: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc, 2002. Read More