Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Temperance movement and fighting internet viruses

Internet Viruses have been plaguing computers, infecting files, then people would open the websites or they would open their files, then these people have virsuses on their computer. However, there have been websites that can treat these viruses and get them off people's computers, although, the person who has these programs has to update them, and keep them current.

People in the 19th century had dealt with a problem that was just as rampant, this was alcoholism; in the 1800s society was very different, men and women had different spheres of influence. Men had the political and business spheres, women however, stayed at home  and took care of the family. Men were able to go into the saloons or taverns and drink; however, many of the church groups had frowned upon this. Men would drink themselves to the point of ruin, this would also caused their family to put out on the street. With the help of women and church groups the Temperance Movement(this was like an early form of prohibition) was created.

The Temperance Movement was started in 1825, it had targeted the poor and immigrant communities. "These associations boasted membership of a million, most of whom were females. Working through church affiliations, Temperance gave women a noble cause-to protect women and children from alcoholism's by-product-domestic violence, poverty, neglect, and abuse. But as thousands of women joined the temperance and women's movements, liquor manufactors and factory owners feared female dignments. If granted the right to vote, women would first move to pass laws banning the manufacture and sale of equitable of alcohol and then work toward more equitable wages for women and children." (Women's History)

Some women did drink by only medicinally; they were not allowed in taverns, public houses, or inns. "With alcoholism widespread, everyone had a relative, friend, or neighbor whose life had deteriorated through alcoholic addition. Women were more likely to suffer the effects of alcoholism, especially through that of a spouse, enduring physical abuse, abandonment and poverty."
 One woman had even destroyed a saloon; this woman was Carrie A. Nation. She had joined the Women's Temperance of Kansas. "In 1899, accompanied by other temperance women she launched a hatchet-smashing campaign, invading bars, saloons, and gin mills. The women entered saloons singing hymns and proceeded to chastise the drinking clientele. Then the hatcheting would begin as Carrie Nation's brigade smashed bottles of liquor, the bar, the furniture, and generally laid waste to the property. Frequently arrested for vandalism and disturbing the peace, Carrie Nation always managed to pay the fines or make bail and the arrests only served to broadcast her notoriety and publicize temperance."

Temperance would continue until the 18th Amendment was passed which started Prohibition; people who had supported the Temperance movement would then celebrate because of Congress passing the Probition act (which did not stop alcohol in some states, it stopped alcohol throughout the country.) However, people sold alcohol to secret bars, or they made their own. These secret bars were called speakeasies.

After a while, Probition was repealed(1932); This did not work, because economic purposes but also thinking people would stop drinking, and did not. The Temperance Movement did stop because, as the western frontier was being more developed, people had opened taverns and saloons.

3 comments:

  1. I notice more on more on Facebook that people are clicking links to messages that they think are posted from their friends but they are actually viruses. They try to use a phrase people can't seem to resist like "click here to see who deleted you", or "I can see who stalked my profile." Once the next person clicks on it the messages is displayed to their contacts so they don't seem to stop.

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  2. I like how you found pictures to fit the story.
    Very clever. Your history articles are really interesting.

    With all the viruses going on, it is best to have your security network on your computer updated sothat it catches all the virus that are out there.

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  3. I also really like your images and they fit the article well. Once again thanks for the history lesson :) I think everything can become a virus whether it is an addiction or a real virus on a computer, they all spread and do severe damage if not taken care of fast.
    p.s. I like the last image...I actually just watched the Princess and the Frog the other day!

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