Effectiveness-Cristina


 * will add more stats, but a rough draft of my section

The Washington Temperance Society and The American Temperance Union (ATU) differed in many ways with regard to how they approached alcohol. They each questioned who was too blame for the various issues caused by alcohol, and what to do to stop people from drinking it. They both fought for the same thing though, temperance in their communities. Which was more effective? Was the earlier ATU approach to temperence the more effective because of its lack of respect for anybody who drank it or was the later Washington Temperance Society's more effective because it helped the "unrespectable" drunkards. All in all it seems the Washington Temperance Society with its sobriety pledge was more effective at reaching people in different communities. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that the proto-aristocrats view of alcoholics did not make alcoholics want to become more "respectable", it might have even pushed them to the extent to make them want to drink more. The Washington Temperance Society was founded an made up of by the rough respectable, therefore they respected each other. Many joined at a rapid pace, from 1840: 300 people, by 1841: more than 200,000 people, and by 1843: It was in millions. However both temperance socities were effective. An average of 2 gallons of pure alcohol a year; 1820-1830 versus the 7.1 gallons of pure alcohol a year. The temperance society did work though, they lowered the amount of alcohol that was drunk, and they therfore died down until later in the 20th century, when alcohol was prohibited.

1810: 5.5 gallons 1850: 4 gallons

1810:4.5 gallons 1850: 2.25 gallons

1 in every 10 amereicans abstained from alcohol (a very radical postition) 1831: over 1/3 of temperance pledges in the u.s came from new england (less than 1/6 total us populatipn) vs. souther st. (44% of total pop) had only 8.5% of pledges

Research From : Sobering Up by Ian TyrellPG 4-5!!! Notes in class