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Alcohol Consumption In America During The 1920's

551 Words3 Pages

America during the 1920s can be considered a cultural battleground as Americans were deeply divided over a number of different issues, including race, immigration, alcohol consumption, and interpretation of the bible. However, the differences between rural and urban lifestyles, specifically over alcohol consumption, is arguably the most divisive of these issues. In general, those that lived in rural area,especially in the South, tended to be more conservative and follow traditional beliefs. They believed in fundamentalism, which was the literal interpretation of the bible, and discouraged the teaching of evolution in schools. Those in rural areas also tended to support prohibition, which was a ban on the manufacturing and sale of alcohol, because they believed that alcohol consumption led to sinful …show more content…

In terms of religion, people living in urban areas vehemently disagreed with fundamentalism, arguing that a more modern interpretation of the bible was necessary. This led to the infamous Scopes Trial over the teaching of evolution, which disproved Bible's theory of Creation, in schools. People living in urban areas also tended to be strongly against prohibition. Many viewed the 18th Amendment as oppressive and unfair, since they considered alcohol consumption a personal choice, and actively rebelled against it by visiting illegal speakeasies or buying alcohol from bootleggers or smugglers. The typical lifestyle of women in urban areas also sharply contrasted that of women in rural areas. Many women in urban areas became more independent and openly rebelled against tradition by cutting their hair short, wearing "provocative" clothing, smoking, and drinking. This liberated women was referred to as the flapper. Even though not all women in urban areas were flappers, many became to emerge from their traditional homemaking roles and fulfill other roles in

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Okrent pushes the idea that Prohibition was an “Anglo-Saxon-Protestant issue” (192) and they were proven to continuously push for the cause. Politics and alcohol held close ties during the push for Prohibition (47), and Protestant “aristocrats” such as Roosevelt disliked this relationship, viewing it as corrupt. (48) Protestant women, like the Daughters of Temperance (15), were a force to be reckoned with. The biggest issue Protestant’s had though, according to Okrent, was the immigrant population and their usage of the saloons. (48) Okrent highlights that one of the forces in favour of Prohibition was the mindset held by many Americans.

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The Roaring 20s, a decade marked by cultural shifts and economic growth in the United States, was also a period of profound societal challenges that tested the nation's values and laws. Among the most significant challenges faced during this era were Prohibition, the Palmer Raids, and the Scopes Trial. Prohibition, ushered in by the 18th Amendment, aimed to eliminate alcohol consumption but instead fueled organized crime and societal unrest. The Palmer Raids, a government-led crackdown on suspected radicals and anarchists, raised questions about civil liberties and due process. Meanwhile, the Scopes Trial, a legal battle over teaching evolution in schools, spotlighted the ongoing tension between religion and science.

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According to History.com, “a young woman with bobbed hair and short skirts who drank, smoked and said “unladylike” things, in addition to being more sexually “free” than previous generations” were flappers. Flappers had a big impact on society today. Flappers introduced feminism throughout society. According to Myrvang, “Flapper feminism rejected the idea that women should uphold society’s morals through temperance and chastity.” Women during this period wanted to be different.

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