Preview

The War On Alcohol By Lisa Mcgirr

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
236 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The War On Alcohol By Lisa Mcgirr
The book “The War on Alcohol: Prohibition and the Rise of the American State”, written by Lisa McGirr illustrates the countries hardships throughout prohibition. More specifically, the book divulges the peruser in the rivalry between the government and the people. She moves beyond what the reader already knows about speakeasy’s and violence, and describes how prohibition was a paramount time for the nation’s government. The book talks about the upcoming of different leagues and unions such as the anti-saloon league, the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. In addition to the different leagues and unions that were created, the book also goes into great detail about civilian protesting against prohibition.
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    The Temperance Movement
    • 5679 Words
    • 23 Pages

    The Temperance Movement

    The 18th amendment, “Section 1, After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited. Section 2, The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Section 3, This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress. (The Charters of Freedom n.d.)” This amendment’s ratification was the realization of all the people in the United States that the temperance movement finally became reality, but long over a century before the ratification of the 18th Amendment the temperance movement was making its way into the United States. When examining the Prohibition its impact is palpable, but it was more than just a trial and error issue. The prohibition was about social reformation that took place long before the initial enactment of the 18th amendment. The era known as the temperance movement brought renovation on many aspects of the United States; politics, religion, government roles and the role of the people. The Temperance Movement is a period in time which we can credit this absolute change of American aspects to the array of prohibition supporting parties and Congressional debate.…

    • 5679 Words
    • 23 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    History Of Prohibition: Core American Policy Decisions
    • 194 Words
    • 1 Page

    History Of Prohibition: Core American Policy Decisions

    Policy decisions are often evaluated based on their domestic impact. What was the problem, how did the policy attempt to relieve the problem, and did the policy accomplish its goal, are the most common questions asked when analyzing policy reform. The 18th Amendment, the Volstead Act, and the Jones Act were at the core American policy decisions. These three policies made production, transportation, and sale of alcohol illegal, and entered the United States into the prohibition era. Historians primarily study prohibition from a domestic viewpoint. What circumstances led to prohibition, what was the culture during the prohibition years, and why did prohibition ultimately get repealed, are among the multitude of domestic specific questions asked…

    • 194 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    J. Rorabaugh's The Alcoholic Republic: An American Tradition
    • 1077 Words
    • 5 Pages

    J. Rorabaugh's The Alcoholic Republic: An American Tradition

    In fact, “the consumption levels of alcohol in the American republic were significant enough for many Americans to conclude that the nation faced a drinking problem.” (548) According to Rorabaugh, the historical circumstances along with previous economic developments led to the opportunity for increased drinking. However, the rapid changes regarding the society of antebellum America sparked interest in a wide variety of reforms. In fact, reformers hoped to “encourage temperance or even total abstinence from drinking.” (538) The temperance movement was an organized effort to limit and outlaw the consumption and production of alcohol in the United States. As the antebellum reform societies gained popularity, the reformers were motivated by humanitarian ideals in order create a more virtuous nation. As a result, the early nineteenth century was a period of immense change in the United States as Americans “began to take a new interest in religion.” (539) Overall, Rorabaugh explores the American society’s relationship with alcohol and analyzes how religious practices helped relieve social tensions and anxieties that contributed to alcohol…

    • 1077 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Prohibition in the 1920's Essay Example
    • 3663 Words
    • 15 Pages

    Prohibition in the 1920's Essay Example

    Prohibition in the United States was doomed to fail from the beginning. There are many reasons why Prohibition was a failure and in the following pages I would like to explore those reasons. Although the intentions were “noble”, not only did Prohibition not achieve its goals it subsequently added to many of the problems that it intended to solve.…

    • 3663 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    THE HISTORY OF UNITED STATES - THE 1920s COMPARED TO THE 1930s
    • 2306 Words
    • 8 Pages

    THE HISTORY OF UNITED STATES - THE 1920s COMPARED TO THE 1930s

    3. Bernstein, M. A. (1987) The Great Depression: Delayed Recovery and Economic Change in America, 1929-1939. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1987.…

    • 2306 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    National Prohibition Summary
    • 813 Words
    • 4 Pages

    National Prohibition Summary

    Hall tries to illustrate to the readers the views of both sides as to why the prohibition was not a completely failure and also why it was not a complete success. Hall took note of factors such as health, crime rate, respect for the law, the economy and he explains the adverse effects of these factors and subsequently their connection to national prohibition. Hall argues for the positives of national prohibitions when he states that “some have argued that alcohol prohibition, if…

    • 813 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Roaring Twenties: Why Did Prohibition Fail?
    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Roaring Twenties: Why Did Prohibition Fail?

    The “Roaring Twenties” marked the change in American culture forever. Between the new inventions, upbeat jazz music, parties and theatres, America had adopted a newfound racy culture. Life’s possibilities and leisure freedoms had been greatly broadened, that is until the 18th amendment passed. On January 17th, 1920, the manufacture, sale and transportation of alcohol were prohibited across the nation. Referred to as prohibition, the American government used this amendment as an experiment to see if alcohol was truly at blame for the rising problems in the nation. However, 13 years after enacted, the 18th amendment was repealed by the 21st. The repeal of the 18th…

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Prohibition Dbq
    • 1338 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Prohibition Dbq

    The period between 1920 and 1933 primarily known as the Prohibition Era featured a ban on the sale, production, importation, and transportation of alcohol. The social and political atmosphere during World War I allowed for the growth and spread of the temperance movement. The passage of the 16th Amendment in 1913, which replaced alcohol taxes with an income tax, leaving no economic incentive for the government to support any pro-wet legislation. In addition, passage of the Sheppard Act in 1916, which banned alcohol in Washington D.C. established a platform for the Anti-Saloon League to develop. The rise of the Anti-Saloon League during World War I helped raise hysteria surrounding German-Americans and alcohol. The Anti-Saloon League’s effective…

    • 1338 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    WCTU And Prohibition
    • 1428 Words
    • 6 Pages

    WCTU And Prohibition

    The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was devoted to bringing prohibition to the United States in order to protect the women and children of America from the repercussions of alcohol. The WCTU was conceived in November of 1874 due to the newly established habits of the men of America (Woman’s). Having the capable leadership of the founders, the WCTU spread quickly. In a miniscule span of time, the women made a significant impact which pressed the borders of their home country, threatening to bubble over to those countries which faced like oppression. The lasting effects of their efforts still linger in the present society in which the conflicts dealt with by these women are prominently evident today.…

    • 1428 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Prohibiting Prohibition: The Temperance Movement
    • 998 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Prohibiting Prohibition: The Temperance Movement

    Prohibition, also known as The Temperance Movement was introduced during in the 19th century and early 20th century. Prohibition was the result of generations of work and effort by temperance workers to close down bars and taverns which caused the drunkenness and misery in an age where social welfare did not exist. Prohibition was one of the biggest mistakes made by Canada at that time. It was undertaken to reduce crime, solve problems, and improve the health hygiene of Canadians (refer to document 6 and document 7 by “The Citizen”). The result of the temperance movement was a failure on all…

    • 998 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Struggle over the Saloon
    • 491 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Struggle over the Saloon

    In 1881, the people of Worcester, MA debated whether to vote to “…sanction the sale of liquor under a licensing system” or to “…close all liquor dealers and saloons.” How one stood on this issue was often determined by their social class. For example, “…the temperance crusade was, in part, an effort made by the city’s middle and upper classes to reform, reshape, and restrict working-class recreational practices.” But nevertheless, this struggle never followed straight class lines. A prime example of this would be in the immigrant Irish wage workers, where “Few Irish workers supported the no-license campaigns, but a substantial number did join their own Catholic temperance organizations” Though, it was not prohibition that the social elites were working for, ““The Saloon is the enemy we are fighting”.” A large variety of people and social class were against the saloons also, including “Worcester’s manufacturers, ministers and mothers.” This led to an even larger separation between those for saloons and those against it. Also, the temperance movements in this time period helped defend the culture and economic interests of Protestant manufacturers. But, “In Worcester, however, where trade unionism and radicalism were weak, temperance radicalism was also weak.” So, the saloon showed great strength while being threatened by the temperance movement, but it did create internal divisions in Worcester. With estimates of up to 5-7% of the United States population admitting to being homosexual, the fight for marriage equality is as strong as ever. Marriage in the United States should be available to all, regardless of sexual orientation; not just because of a moral responsibility of acceptance of others and their choices, but because under the Equal Protection clause of the 14th amendment, no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. With multiple amendments and clauses in the constitution…

    • 491 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Prohibition In The 1920s Essay
    • 1278 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Prohibition In The 1920s Essay

    During the 1920’s to early 30’s the Eighteenth Amendment was established to end the production of alcohol in the United States. This was a fourteen year long reform that caused a rise of crime and violence in America. Many passed this Amendment thinking that many would benefit from the absence of alcohol. For example The Anti-Saloon League of America. This was an organization that originated in Oberlin, Ohio in 1893 and believed in temperance. Their goal in the 1900s was to rid America of the “Demon Drink” (Prohibition In America Alcohol History 1920s). Most of their support came from protestant ministers of Methodists and Baptists denominations. In 1895 this became a national organization which was strongest in the South and…

    • 1278 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Failure Of Prohibition Essay
    • 448 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Failure Of Prohibition Essay

    The National Prohibition of Alcohol (1920-1933), also known as “The Noble Experiment,” is the only constitutional amendment to be repealed through another amendment, thus making it a debated topic since the mid 1900’s. Although the primary purpose of Prohibition was to reduce crime and improve the health of the United States, it ended with a result that could be considered the complete opposite. Some historians argue that it was a law that was impossible to enforce, but based on factual evidence, it is visible that the true reasons for the failure of Prohibition were rise in illegal manufacture, corruption, citizen rebellion, and organized crime.…

    • 448 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Was Prohibition Good Or Bad
    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Was Prohibition Good Or Bad

    These reports were documented from a many different sources, which most of them, ironically, were the of supporters of American Prohibition. Most people who supported the Prohibition were mainly economists and social scientists supported it. Their research made the case against Prohibition that much stronger than what it had…

    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Temperance Movement
    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Temperance Movement

    Ever since the birth of our nation, the United States has gone through various social and political movements; however, none compare to the movement in which our country—a country that was founded on freedom and choice—literally placed a restriction on the sell and consumption of alcohol. It is because of this that our group, consisting of Christie, Claire, and myself, chose to research the Temperance movement, while we each focus on a specific aspect of the movement that most interests us. While Claire focuses on the criminal aspect and Christie focuses on the racial aspect of the movement, I have decided to look into the religious aspect, as it is no secret that the temperance movement was deeply influenced by religion.…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics