The Woman's Crusade was a

temperance Temperance may refer to: Moderation *Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed *Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion Culture * Temperance (group), Canadian dan ...

campaign in the United States in 1873-1874. It was a series of non-violent protests fighting against the dangers of alcoholism.

Background

Many women in

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

were inspired by a speech given by

Diocletian Lewis Diocletian Lewis (March 3, 1823 – May 21, 1886), commonly known as Dr. Dio Lewis, was a prominent temperance leader and physical culture advocate who practiced homeopathy. Biography Early life He was born on a farm near Auburn, New York.This ...

to fight against the vices of alcoholism. Annoyed by their

drunk Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main p ...

husbands, many of the women involved wanted a way to express their opinions on

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

. Their goals included using methods of prayer, song, and exhortation to close as many saloons possible. Ohio was the major place in the crusade with a third of the crusaders, but the crusade spread to over 900 different communities in over 31 states in the United States.

History

The main temperance reformer of the movement was

Eliza Daniel Stewart Eliza Daniel Stewart (April 25, 1816 – August 6, 1908) was an American early temperance movement leader. She sometimes referred to herself as "Mother Stewart". Biography Eliza Daniel Stewart was born in Piketon, Ohio on April 25, 1816. Stewar ...

, referred to as "Mother Stewart". She was a key figure in the crusade. Another figure of the crusade was

Eliza Jane Thompson Eliza Jane Trimble Thompson (1816–1905) was a temperance advocate. Biography Eliza Jane Trimble was born in Hillsboro, Ohio, August 24, 1816. The daughter of Governor Allen Trimble, Thompson was inspired by a December 23, 1873 lecture by Di ...

, who pushed the crusade by going to saloons and praying and asking the owners to pledge to stop selling alcohol. They asked saloonkeepers to get rid of all their alcohol and to enter a new business. The Women's Crusade gave women the opportunity to get involved in the public sphere. In the crusade, women used religious methods because they had the most experience in that area. The movement left a lasting impact on woman's involvement in social history and led to the creation of the

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization, originating among women in the United States Prohibition movement. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program th ...

. Although many people were hesitant about allowing women to be involved in the Temperance Movement, women had many breakthroughs throughout the movement which led to the closure of many saloons across the United States. The movement gave women the opportunity to advocate for their rights while they fought for

with their growing voice in the public sphere.

The Crusade in Xenia, Ohio

Xenia, Ohio Xenia ( ) is a city in southwestern Ohio and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. It is east of Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Miami Valley region. The name comes from the Gree ...

, there were over a hundred saloons. People gathered around these saloons and started throwing all types of alcohol into the street saluting to God to give up alcohol. A major event of the crusade was when Steve Phillips, owner of the Shades of Death (a saloon), surrendered his saloon to the movement. The closure of the Shades of Death was considered the major component of the crusade in Ohio and helped shape the

Temperance movement The temperance movement is a social movement promoting temperance or complete abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and its leaders emph ...

by leading to the closure of many more saloons.

The Crusade in South Charleston, Ohio

Women marched throughout the street in the cold winter checking to make sure that no sells were made in the saloons. They had routines of prayers and business meetings throughout their long days on the move. Distinct lines of marching were created on the streets to perform hymns outside of the saloons, also many of the marchers had prepared pledges for the saloonkeepers.

The Crusade in Berea, Ohio

Women organized into a women's league and they wrote their own constitution, concerning their views on alcohol. One prominent stop in their march was the saloon of Thomas Chope. They were able to get into his saloon and they conducted a prayer in the middle of his saloon. These prayers became known as "pray-ins". One challenge that the women faced was the refusal of some saloonkeepers to open their saloons to them. One case is where saloonkeeper, Martin Cummins, locked his saloon's doors, so the women were unable to enter. In cases like this, the women prayed outside the saloons to send their message about alcohol.

References

{{reflist, 30em Alcohol abuse