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Definition:
The concept of temperance simply refers to moderation or self-restraint - on the
American political scene, however, it is also used to refer to political opposition
not simply to immoderate use of alcohol, but even any use of alcohol. It has also
been used as a label for opposition to all manner of "immoral" things aside from
alcohol.
It is commonly believed that the American drive for temperance can be traced back to the Puritans, but that it is not entirely true. It may be that the desire to create a society where a person can be morally pure is indeed a legacy of the Puritans, but they themselves did not consider alcohol consumption to be immoral. As a matter of fact, drinking was an important part of both the social and economic life of the American Colonies. During the early 1800s, the per-capita consumption of distilled spirits was around three times what we have today!
Early Temperance Efforts:
It was around this time that the first organizations dedicated to reducing
alcohol consumption were organized. A leader of one of the first was Lyman
Beecher, father of Harriet Beecher Stowe (the causes of temperance and abolition
were often closely associated with one another).
At first these groups opposed alcohol on rather utilitarian grounds, but eventually the literature they produced characterized alcohol as a tool of the devil to lure people away from the righteous path - thus the label "demon rum" came into wide use. There was some early success and, by 1855, thirteen states had prohibition laws on the books. The Civil War reversed these accomplishments, however, and by the end only two of those states continued to ban the sale of alcohol.
Women's Christian Temperance Union:
The second wave of reform efforts started later in the 19th century and this time
it was often combined with the efforts to achieve equal rights for women. Men's
use of alcohol was portrayed as part of the wider disregard for women, their
needs, and the fact that they merited equal consideration at home and in the
political arena. Thus, in 1874 the Women's Christian Temperance Union was created
in Cleveland and achieved some impressive gains under able leaders.
Anti-Saloon League:
An even more successful temperance organization was the Anti-Saloon League,
a group formed with specifically religious motivations in mind. It was backed
by national Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian groups - but their purposes were
not simply to ban alcohol. To many, heavy alcohol use was simply a symptom of
wider social evils - immigration of Catholics, increasing urbanization, increasing
industrialization, weakening of traditional social norms, etc. Thus, combatting
alcohol was regarded as a means for combatting and eliminating all of the above
as well. Their efforts eventually led to the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment on
December 18, 1917.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.
