Prohibition As a Reform
Joan Rapczynski and Florence Zywocinski
Guide Entry to 78.03.03
The prohibition movement began in this country not as a movement for complete prohibition of alcohol, but as a “temperance” or reform movement. The temperance movement can be traced all the way from its origins in Colonial days to its culmination in the early l900s. This unit gives a detailed account of the battle for temperance, its limited successes and frequent failures, and its ultimate demise. Students will learn that even “social drinking” was illegal for years in this country and that, after each attempt to ban the use of alcohol, the public rejection of efforts to create a “sober society” led directly to repeal of prohibition reform. The narrative is devoted to constructing a calendar of the major historical events surrounding the temperance question. A course outline divides the material into ten sections for classroom use. Eight detailed lesson plans that utilize the background information conclude the unit.
(Recommended for High School U.S. History classes)
Key Words
Prohibition American History
