Causes and Effects of the Temperance Movement
Beginning in the 1870s, the movement for temperance reemerged and began rapidly growing in America.Temperance was propelled forward by an emergent women’s movement centered on protection of the family, aided by the strong support of many Protestant churches.
Soon a number of states adopted state-wide prohibition, but it was World War I that made possible the passage of national Prohibition. Strong anti-German prejudice developed from the war made the generally German brewers popular targets of hostility. In addition, the argument that production of alcohol beverages diverted grain needed for the war effort, the effective organization of prohibitionists along with the lack of organization by those who didn‘t support prohibition, the strong support of the Ku Klux Klan, political intimidation, and the effects of decades of temperance propaganda all made possible the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment establishing national Prohibition. However, national Prohibition failed to stop the use of alcohol, and in addition led to the widespread production of dangerous unregulated and untaxed alcohol, the development of organized crime and increased violence, and massive political corruption. All these effects eventually led to the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.
Soon a number of states adopted state-wide prohibition, but it was World War I that made possible the passage of national Prohibition. Strong anti-German prejudice developed from the war made the generally German brewers popular targets of hostility. In addition, the argument that production of alcohol beverages diverted grain needed for the war effort, the effective organization of prohibitionists along with the lack of organization by those who didn‘t support prohibition, the strong support of the Ku Klux Klan, political intimidation, and the effects of decades of temperance propaganda all made possible the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment establishing national Prohibition. However, national Prohibition failed to stop the use of alcohol, and in addition led to the widespread production of dangerous unregulated and untaxed alcohol, the development of organized crime and increased violence, and massive political corruption. All these effects eventually led to the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.