Reforms of the Early 19th Century
The American Society for the Promotion of Temperance was founded by members of the growing middle class in 1826. The middle class did not accept the abundant drinking as previous classes had. They found it immoral and unsafe. The American Society for the Promotion of Temperance, “the largest reform organization of the period”, gained momentum and support. (Faragher, p.439) As time went on, many others began to agree with the middle class in this conclusion. Factory owners prohibited drinking on the job because it affected an employee’s performance, often making working with machinery hazardous. Skilled workers and artisans joined the movement. They, men and women, even created their own institutes, the Washington Temperance Societies and Martha Washington Societies. Men emphasized the political aspects of the problem while women placed emphasis on the dangers of drunkenness.
Temperance soon changed from a solely social concern to become a political problem as well. The two prominent political parties, the Whigs and the Democrats, had opposing views on temperance. Whigs were supporters, Democrats were not. The Democrats were not alone in their hostility. Immigrants, who were accustomed to the routine drinking, were also resistant. Despite this resistance and hostility, these...
Please join StudyMode to read the full document