The question of Prohibition had gained strong momentum by the first decade of the 20th century. The issue was one of the most controversial in the history of the United States, rivaled only by slavery the century before. However, the level of Americans’ dedication to its enactment and the degree to which alcohol should be prohibited varied greatly among the population. In this gallery, students will role-play advocacy groups deliberating issues and policy options on the question of Prohibition.

Lesson Objectives:

Students will:

• Describe the history of alcohol in the United States and trace the connection between Prohibition and temperance movements and the change in strategy from advocating moderation to government regulation.
• Identify the significance of the local saloon to immigrants and the working poor and analyze how the Anti-Saloon League’s temperance movement politicized the prohibition of alcohol.

About the Author: 

Greg Timmons has been a social studies teacher for more than 30 years. He has written lessons for and serves as an educational consultant to various PBS programs including Frontline, the NewsHour, and WashingtonWeek. He resides in Washington state and Montana.