During the Gettysburg address, Abraham Lincoln stated, “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” This quote embodies the lasting impact of Antebellum Reform and its demonstration of American freedom. This freedom was leveraged to create changes that aided in the betterment of our nation. The changes made within Antebellum Reform can still be felt to this day and that leaves us to wonder: What caused these movements to occur when they did? Antebellum Reform refers to the period after the War of 1812 and before the civil war in 1861. During this period, the United States was in a state of flux. The land area of the United States jumped from about 1.7 to 2.9 million square miles (p.
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133). They quickly gained a following through their ability to relate to the public. The speakers of the Washington Temperance Society spoke in a manner that invoked emotion in their audience, through their use of logic, and their emphasis on sharing stories of their drunken pastime instead of burying it (p. 134). “The Washingtonians also sponsored picnics, parades, and fairs,” these recruitment techniques celebrated the Temperance movement, and was soon brought to popular entertainment (p. 134). The pinnacle of the movement, being brought to popular entertainment was Timothy Shy Arthur’s play, Ten Nights in a Bar-Room (p. 134). However, the Washingtonians soon “suffered from putting too much faith in men who were better at swearing off alcohol than staying off it (p. 135).” Despite its shortcomings the Washington Temperance society was an invaluable proponent of the Temperance movement because of its inventive ways to recruit members and the part it played in separating the movement from its almost exclusively Protestant …show more content…
Temperance sharpened party lines and had a lasting impact on politics for years (p. 140). “In numerous local elections throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries alcohol mattered more than the national issues of the day (p. 140).” This level of focus on the issue demonstrates just how important the cause was to many Americans. The temperance movement was also supported by Abolitionist reformers. Abolitionists saw alcohol as both “a tool of slavery” and “its own form of slavery (p. 142).” This was because previously “masters ‘rewarded’ their bondsmen with rations of alcohol (p. 142).” Abolitionists also saw alcohol as a drain on African American’s financial resources, that they required to instill change. During this period leading a temperance lifestyle reflected an image of self-control and hard work that were sought after by many employers (p.
133). They quickly gained a following through their ability to relate to the public. The speakers of the Washington Temperance Society spoke in a manner that invoked emotion in their audience, through their use of logic, and their emphasis on sharing stories of their drunken pastime instead of burying it (p. 134). “The Washingtonians also sponsored picnics, parades, and fairs,” these recruitment techniques celebrated the Temperance movement, and was soon brought to popular entertainment (p. 134). The pinnacle of the movement, being brought to popular entertainment was Timothy Shy Arthur’s play, Ten Nights in a Bar-Room (p. 134). However, the Washingtonians soon “suffered from putting too much faith in men who were better at swearing off alcohol than staying off it (p. 135).” Despite its shortcomings the Washington Temperance society was an invaluable proponent of the Temperance movement because of its inventive ways to recruit members and the part it played in separating the movement from its almost exclusively Protestant …show more content…
Temperance sharpened party lines and had a lasting impact on politics for years (p. 140). “In numerous local elections throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries alcohol mattered more than the national issues of the day (p. 140).” This level of focus on the issue demonstrates just how important the cause was to many Americans. The temperance movement was also supported by Abolitionist reformers. Abolitionists saw alcohol as both “a tool of slavery” and “its own form of slavery (p. 142).” This was because previously “masters ‘rewarded’ their bondsmen with rations of alcohol (p. 142).” Abolitionists also saw alcohol as a drain on African American’s financial resources, that they required to instill change. During this period leading a temperance lifestyle reflected an image of self-control and hard work that were sought after by many employers (p.