Date of Thesis

Spring 2024

Description

This extensive historical analysis traces the complex, multifaceted roles of alcohol across American history, from the colonial era and early national period through the temperance movement culminating in national Prohibition during the early twentieth century. It explores the cultural, social, economic, and moral dimensions circumscribing societal attitudes and regulatory policies toward alcohol over time. The thesis examines how alcohol served as a tool of conquest and oppression during the colonial era, facilitating the subjugation of Native populations and fueling the transatlantic slave trade. It delves into the complex dynamics of alcohol consumption and regulation in the early republic, highlighting the tensions between individual liberty, economic interests, societal stability. The analysis then traces the rise of the temperance movement in the 19th century, exploring the diverse motivations and strategies of reformers, from religious revival to women's suffrage. Particular attention is paid to the intersections of race, class, and gender within the temperance movement, revealing the limitations and contradictions that structured temperance organizations. The thesis ends with a chronicle of the extraordinary rise of the Anti-Saloon League as the driving force behind the passage of national Prohibition and delves into the sophisticated techniques of pressure politics and propaganda that spearheaded the deployment of national fear tactics, thereby catalyzing the "noble experiment.” Through this sweeping exploration of alcohol's central roles in shaping American history and identity, the thesis offers a meditation on the nation's unfinished struggle to reconcile the competing imperatives of liberty and order, vice and virtue, that lie at the heart of the American experiment.

Keywords

Colonial America, Temperance Movement, Prohibition, Racial Dynamics, Gender and Reform, Alcohol and Social Control

Access Type

Honors Thesis

Degree Type

Bachelor of Arts

Major

History

Minor, Emphasis, or Concentration

Public Policy

First Advisor

Paul Barba

Second Advisor

P. Khalil Saucier

Third Advisor

Kenton Butcher

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