Women in the Progressive Era Temperance and Suffrage

I. Prohibition of Alcohol ( ) A. Liquor consumption increased after the Civil War B. Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) 1. Led by Frances Willard 2. Placed pressure on states to prohibit alcohol 3. Most influential female organization of the era 4. Influential regarding suffrage (included blacks and Indians)

C. Anti-Saloon League 1. Picked up the WCTU’s fight and had strong connections in Congress 2. By 1900, 25% of Americans were living in “dry” territory

D. “Dry” Laws 1. Progressivism boosted prohibition

E. Attitude of sacrifice during WWI made alcohol consumption unpatriotic 1. Gov’t passed laws limiting the production of alcohol 2. Ingredients could be used for industrial uses, feeding armies, or those dislocated by the war

F. 18 th Amendment (1919): banned the sale, transport, manufacturing, and consumption of alcohol -- Volstead Act (1919): Enforced the 18 th Amendment

G. Eventually, prohibition was one of the great failures of the progressive movement

II. Suffrage for women A. Seneca Falls convention (1848) B. National American Women’s Suffrage Association (1893) C. Gains by the late-19 th century 1. By 1890, women had partial suffrage in 19 states 2. Wyoming and Utah were the first in 1869 to grant the vote to women

D. Carrie Chapman Catt 1. Most effective leader of the new generation of suffragettes from the NAWSA 2. “Winning Plan” emphasized lobbying Congress, effective meetings, and parades -- Publicized women’s role during WWI

Edwina Dumm, Columbus Monitor

E. Alice Paul and the Congressional Union used militant tactics 1. Picketed the White House and went on hunger strikes while in prison 2. Led the most militant woman out of the NAWSA to form the Congressional Union 3. Put forth the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) after WWI

College women from Alice Paul’s Congressional Union picketing the White House in The first picket line was formed on January 10, 1917.

Alice Paul holds a sign demanding female suffrage

Edwina Dumm, Columbus Monitor, March 30, 1917

Mainstream suffrage postcard touting women's ability to clean up the "Dirty Pool of Politics," combining an appeal for the vote based both on women's presumed "higher moral nature" and their greater abilities at "social housekeeping."

F. 19 th Amendment (1920) gave women full suffrage -- Jeannette Rankin, first woman in Congress, introduced the bill on the House floor