prohibition and womens rights

Historical Context

  • Early 1900s Overview
    • Time period to focus on women's rights movement

Beginning of the Women’s Rights Movement

  • Starting Point

    • Women's rights movement initiates in the 1890s.

  • Main Themes

    • Increasing discontent leading to organized efforts for rights.

Temperance Movement

  • Definition

    • A social movement advocating for the reduction or prohibition of alcohol consumption.

  • Key Components

    • Start in 1893 with the Anti Saloon League.

  • Social Issues Addressed

    • Associated with poverty, murder, and suicide linked to alcohol use.

  • Public Perception

    • Saloon viewed negatively as a contributor to social dysfunction (poverty, abuse).

Prohibition Amendment

  • Eighteenth Amendment

    • Established the prohibition of alcohol in the United States.

  • Reasons for Support

    • Supported by women due to domestic abuse caused by husbands drinking.
    • Alcohol was cheap; average earnings were around 5 to 10 cents/hour in low-income jobs.

Women's Advocacy

  • Motivation for Women

    • Domestic violence rates correlated with husbands' alcoholism.
    • Emotional and physical abuse prevalent during this time.

  • Role of Business Leaders

    • Aligned with women's movement; concerns over drunken employees in the workplace which could lead to accidents.
    • Factories faced high accident rates; workers blamed for being drunk while operating machinery.

Religious Influence

  • Religious Support for Temperance

    • Many religious groups pushing for total abstinence from alcohol; associated with moral and family values.
    • The rise of prohibitive church ideologies solidified during this time.

  • Connection to Social Stability

    • Alcohol viewed as a vice that damaged marriages and family dynamics.

Divorce Legislation and Women’s Rights

  • Divorce Inequality

    • No-fault divorce laws were not yet established.
    • Women often needed substantial evidence to seek divorce, making it challenging to escape abusive relationships.

  • Custody Issues

    • Following a divorce, children would typically remain with their father, greatly impacting women's familial relationships.

Legislative Milestones

  • First State to Prohibit Alcohol
    • Maine passed laws against alcohol in 1846.
    • Other states began adopting similar laws by the onset of the Civil War.

Anti Saloon League

  • Formation and Goals

    • Established to combat the sale of alcohol and diminish saloons' presence.
    • Supported by evangelical Protestants, women, and business owners.

  • Business Perspective

    • Support for temperance tied to workplace safety and efficiency, reducing accidents attributable to intoxicated workers.

Historical Protest Strategies

  • Sexual Protest as a Strategy

    • Some women protested against drinking by withholding physical intimacy from intoxicated partners.
    • This tactic echoes ancient practices, such as the Greek play Lysistrata, where women halted relations until peace was achieved.

  • Cultural Legacy of Protest

    • Historical instances where women engaged in similar protests through time.

Reference Materials

  • Follow-Up Assignment
    • Read additional articles related to the discussed content.
    • Time allocated: till approximately 08:30.