Prohibition

7 Pages 1810 Words

tempt to reassert what were considered traditional American values” in a time of high immigration -- to “force newer members of the population into a life-style that they were unwilling to accept” (Compton’s Living, “Historical Background”). It was enacted because rural, small town Americans, who were attempting to stop what they felt was the corrupting influence of the growing cities, held the highest percentage of the population, and therefore the balance of power in state legislatures and in Washington, DC. The original intention of the reform was pure moderation; however, because there was no way to enforce this, Prohibition resulted. Rural Americans and Protestants weren’t the only supporters of the Prohibition. Other religious groups for the act included Baptists and Methodists. There were also many Americans who viewed alcohol as dangerous and destructive. “Prohibitionists, who viewed alcohol as a dangerous drug that destroyed lives and disrupted families and communities, argued that it was the government’s responsibility to free citizens from the temptation of drink by barring its sale” (Kerr 1). Many woman fought for the banning of alcohol to protect homes and families, for they believed an alcoholic husband spent the family’s entire income on liquor and often abused their wives or children, both sexually and physically. They founded the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in 1874. This group alone caused 6 states to pass prohibition laws. Other...