Susan B. Anthony Vs. Alchohol In College Town

Part I:

Susan B. Anthony played a very dominant role in the woman suffrage movement, was an important figure in the temperance movement, and was also active in a few other movements during the 19th and 20th centuries. However, during the 1850's Anthony's main focus was temperance reform which worked to make alcohol illegal. Interestingly enough, the majority of the workers for the temperance campaign were women. This makes sense because the movement addressed the impact of alcohol consumption on the family. Anthony herself was unmarried and did not have children yet was in great favor of the ban on alcohol using moral suasion to reinforce her beliefs. She also had a great following of women that backed her in her efforts. More actively, she attempted to become involved with the Sons of Temperance however when she tried to speak at a meeting in Albany she was denied by one male saying, "The Sisters were not invited there to speak but to listen and learn." With that she promptly left and formed her own equality-based organization in favor of prohibition called the Woman's State Temperance Society of New York. As with many of Susan B. Anthony's endeavors this was the first of its kind. Unfortunately after the second meeting of her newly formed organization, the men began to take over and Anthony resigned as leader of the group ending her work with the temperance movement and devoted the majority of her time to the women's rights movement.

The goal of the progressive movement was for the ultimate betterment of society. It included the following new ideals: abolitionism, temperance, woman's suffrage, trust-busting, the farm movement, the direct election of senators, the enactment of child labor laws and not to mention; the introduction or restoration of Laissez-Faire, Socialism, Darwinism, Communism, and other social doctrines. Abolitionism, temperance, and suffrage all somewhat overlapped each other during the same time period; yet, it seems that each had its own individual strength at just the right time in order to pass (regardless of the eventual repeal of the 18th amendment).

The 18th amendment was ratified on January 16, 1919 confirming that after one year the manufacture, sale, or transportation of "intoxicating liquors" along with importation or exportation to or from the United States was thereby prohibited. Prohibition failed miserably and therefore the 21st amendment was ratified and repealed the 18th amendment on December 5, 1933.

Part II:

In reference to the current local "21-only" ordinance creating tumultuous uproar not only on the university campus but the entirety of Iowa City (and even made it all the way onto the national news) binge drinking is being addressed yet again since the time of prohibition. There are many pros and cons to both sides of the issue but considering the ordinance did not pass, the pros of keeping 19 and 20 year olds in the bars after 11pm seem to outweigh the cons--at least for those who exercised their right to vote.

However, there are many similarities to this vote as to that of prohibition almost one hundred years ago. Susan B. Anthony would have opposed drinking for some of the same reasons now as she did back then: violence, crime, alcohol abuse, and other problems caused as a result of intoxication. One big difference is that she helped to outlaw drinking by all people rather than prohibiting people under the age of 21 into bars after a certain time at night. The ordinance is more specific and related to a much smaller

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