THE RISE AND THE FALL OF ANTI-ALCOHOL REFORM IN ANTEBELLUM ROWAN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
In this article, Bruce E Stewart, focuses on the overconsumption of alcohol specially in Rowan County, North Carolina. In the antebellum area alcohol was considered part of the American cultures and they consumed it in every occasion, for having fun, weddings, and was consumed when talking about politics and making political decisions. Even in political elections they served alcohol to the public in rallies to gain votes , it was safe to say the alcohol dominated Americans in antebellum Area.
Unfortunately, it didn't stop there, people started abusing alcohol, getting drunk, and poising the society. Thus, residents, specially middle class wanted to create a temperance act against alcohol, claiming it will drive this country to ruins , and corrupt future generations .
However, some people were against this idea , and argued that it was ok to consume alcohol in moderate levels, and that prohibiting alcohol was an act against the constitution and people's Liberty. But that did not stop the temperance supporters , on the contrary , they started making campaigns, asking churches for help to spread the word that alcohol was evil, asked the government to raise the prices for alcohol license; which hopefully will reduce taverns in the Area, and asked agricultural people to stop using corn to make alcohol. After all the attempts that have failed to stop the flow of alcohol , anti alcohol supporters didn't give up , they kept making campaigns and groups to support the cause and a lot of people pledge they will stay sober , claiming alcohol is hurting the economy and corrupting future generation , who are the foundation of future America. Moreover, Women played a huge part in supporting Anti alcohol consumption , calling themselves women of temperance and they talked about how alcohol ruined their families , the abuse that they get from their husbands when they get drunk headed.
Unfortunately, it didn't stop there, people started abusing alcohol, getting drunk, and poising the society. Thus, residents, specially middle class wanted to create a temperance act against alcohol, claiming it will drive this country to ruins , and corrupt future generations .
However, some people were against this idea , and argued that it was ok to consume alcohol in moderate levels, and that prohibiting alcohol was an act against the constitution and people's Liberty. But that did not stop the temperance supporters , on the contrary , they started making campaigns, asking churches for help to spread the word that alcohol was evil, asked the government to raise the prices for alcohol license; which hopefully will reduce taverns in the Area, and asked agricultural people to stop using corn to make alcohol. After all the attempts that have failed to stop the flow of alcohol , anti alcohol supporters didn't give up , they kept making campaigns and groups to support the cause and a lot of people pledge they will stay sober , claiming alcohol is hurting the economy and corrupting future generation , who are the foundation of future America. Moreover, Women played a huge part in supporting Anti alcohol consumption , calling themselves women of temperance and they talked about how alcohol ruined their families , the abuse that they get from their husbands when they get drunk headed.
In this article, Bruce's points to how people reacted to alcohol in the antebellum area , and the parties were involved in supporting and anti temperance movement, and how hard it was to try to keep alcohol out of the streets completely. We heard the voices of the Whig party, Catholic and Methodist churches , Washingtonians, and the middle class people , on the other hand we were missing the voices of the working class and jacksonians .
In class we talked about a new kind of alcohol called “hard cider” and how only men can drink this, which made alcohol more popular. Also, we talked about the Whig party and how it used government relations for its benefits , especially in the temperance movement .
Moreover, women can't consume alcohol and that was only for men , which I think it helped women to have a Big role in temperance movement. And how in 1830s you can't get alcohol at all in Main.
In class we asked questions like , how did they make alcohol hard to get ?
We concluded that they made alcohol license more expensive , and make distillers to stop making alcohol, therefore , to get less open taverns and have less drunk people .
Why temperance activist think they were gonna succeed in south, but didn't ?
Because they had the support of churches and middle class people , but the problem was that they though middle class people were trying to control the working class and coming again the constitution and people's Liberty.
Did rich people and government officials drank as much as the residents ?
Why didn't the sons of temperance act didn't succeed.
In class we talked about a new kind of alcohol called “hard cider” and how only men can drink this, which made alcohol more popular. Also, we talked about the Whig party and how it used government relations for its benefits , especially in the temperance movement .
Moreover, women can't consume alcohol and that was only for men , which I think it helped women to have a Big role in temperance movement. And how in 1830s you can't get alcohol at all in Main.
In class we asked questions like , how did they make alcohol hard to get ?
We concluded that they made alcohol license more expensive , and make distillers to stop making alcohol, therefore , to get less open taverns and have less drunk people .
Why temperance activist think they were gonna succeed in south, but didn't ?
Because they had the support of churches and middle class people , but the problem was that they though middle class people were trying to control the working class and coming again the constitution and people's Liberty.
Did rich people and government officials drank as much as the residents ?
Why didn't the sons of temperance act didn't succeed.
