Upload
jeffry-wells
View
217
Download
1
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Kevin P. Dincherwww.kevindincher.com
Enshrine social policy in US Constitution
Alcohol = major source of social ills Poverty, divorce, violence, gambling, prostitution,
other crime “Others” – “Undesirables”
Immigrants (Irish, Italians, Eastern Europeans, Catholics) Blacks
Purpose Fix what was wrong with America by fixing the
American people Change American’s attitude Control American’s behavior
Alcohol consumption decreased in the 20th Century 19th Century Americans consumed 3x as much
alcohol per capita as today But really caused by Prohibition?
Consequences Culture Crime and corruption Women
Prohibition and
Prohibition and
Family of Carl and Christina Behle, 1913
George Remus(1874 – 1952)
1874: Born in Germany
1879: Immigrated to Chicago
1888: Worked at a pharmacy
1893: Bought the pharmacy Bought 2nd pharmacy
1898: Illinois College of Law
1899: married Lillian Klauff 1900: Romola Remus
King of the Bootleggers
If there ever has been a bigger bootlegger than Remus, the fact remains a secret. Remus was to bootlegging what Rockefeller was to oil…”
St. Louis Post Dispatch
Romola Remus(1900 – 1987)
Wizard of Oz, 1908
1904: Admitted to Illinois Bar Famous criminal defense
attorney 1920: $50,000/year
$245,000/year in 2013 dollars
1918: Divorced Lillian Married Imogene Holms
Imogene Holms
George Remus Prohibition
Defending accused bootleggers
Arbitrariness of judge Impressed by corruption
1920: Relocated to Cincinnati
Cincinnati: 40,000 people Newport: 30,000 people 30,000 speakeasies
Cincinnati
80% of America’s “bonded liquor” stored in distillery warehouses within 300 mile radius
Government withdrawal permits to sell to drug companies for medicinal purposes
Remus: Bought up distilleries Created own drug company in Covington Created own trucking company Own men hijacked delivery trucks
Distribution center: 50 acre farm “Death Valley”
Cincinnati
80 % of America’s bonded liquor stored in distillery warehouses within 300 mile radius
Government withdrawal permits to sell to drug companies for medicinal purposes
Bought up distilleries; established own drug company in Covington; created own trucking company
Own men hijacked delivery trucks Distribution center: 50 acre farm “Death Valley” 3000 employees – 3 shifts/day $80,000/day
Glenn Fleshler as Remus in Boardwalk Empire
Death Valley Farm
Distribution center
50 acre farm
Government Bribes
1921: began meeting with Jesse Smith
Member of Warren G. Harding's “Ohio Gang”
Teapot Dome Scandal
Unofficial assistant to US Attorney General Harry Daugherty
$250,000 in bribes from Remus Withdrawal permits Protection from prosecution Ed Jewett as
Smith in Boardwak Empire
Government Bribes
1921: began meeting with Jesse Smith
Member of Warren G. Harding's “Ohio Gang”
Teapot Dome Scandal
Unofficial assistant to US Attorney General Harry Daugherty
$250,000 in bribes from Remus Withdrawal permits Protection from prosecution Christopher McDonald as
Daugherty in Boardwalk Empire
George Remus
Income: $6million a year New supply depot in Ohio 9 distilleries in Cincinnati Network from Buffalo, NY to Glendale,
CA
1922: New Year’s Party 100 couples All the men with diamond watches Each guest's wife a brand new car
June 1923: Similar party 100 couples Gave each female guest a new
Pontiac
1925: arrested for violation of the Volstead Act
Jury deliberated for 2 hours
Sentenced to 2 years in jail Franklin Dodge
1927: Imogene divorced Remus
George Remus, Romola Remus, and co-council Charles Elston
The jury deliberated only 19 minutes before acquitting him by reason of insanity
Prohibition and
18th and 19th centuries
“A Woman’s place is in the home.”
Women worked and socialized primarily in the home
Economic necessity Women’s patriotic role
American Boycott of British Goods (1769)
Could only succeed with women’s support and active participation
Recognize women as political
Women could be patriots and had a key role in the patriot cause
Domestic duties and responsibilities have political ramifications
Consumption behaviors had political implications, and women make political decisions whether they intend to or not
American Boycott of British Goods (1769)
Reinforced “Domestic sphere” of women “Public sphere” of men
Changed the nature of “women’s work” Politicized the “domestic sphere”
Republican Motherhood
Philosophy about the role of women in the emerging United States before and after the American Revolution
Women’s political role in the domestic sphere
Linda KerberDepartment of HistoryUniversity of Iowa
Linda K. Kerber
Women of the Republic: Intellect and Ideology in Revolutionary America (1997)
No Constitutional Right to Be Ladies: Women and the Obligations of Citizenship (1999)
18th and 19th centuries“A woman’s place is in the home.”
A "new breed" of young Western women in the 1920s
• Flaunted their disdain for what was then considered conventional/acceptable behavior.
• Flappers = scandalousActress Louise Brooks (1927)
When someone violates the status quo, we get up in arms, but we also make the scandalous act speakable.
Six Women of a Dangerous Generation
Judith Mackrell
The women who defined this age would presage the sexual revolution by nearly half a century and would shape the role of women for generations to come.
Josephine Baker
1906-1975
American-born French dancer, singer, actress
Tallulah Bankhead
1902-1968
Actress and political activist.
Diana Cooper
1892-1986
British actress and socialite
.
Nancy Cunard
1896 -1965
British write, heiress and political activist.
Zelda Fitzgerald
1900 – 1948
American novelist, short story write, poet and dancer
Icon of the 1920’s: “The First American Flapper”
Tamara de Lempicka
1898 – 1980
Polish Art Deco painter
First woman artist to be glamour star .
Suffragettes thought Flappers were vapid and silly Disengaged from politics
Overturning Victorian roles Result of social change Promoted further social
change
Fashion Clothing Lingerie Hair Make-up Jewelry
Language Slang Swearing
“Vices” Drank Smoked Causal sex
Petting parties Drove automobiles Rode bicycles Listened to jazz Got jobs
Actress Louise Brooks (1927)
1631: flap = prostitute
1890s: popular slang in England •very young prostitute•any lively mid-teenage girl
1907: theatrical slang for acrobatic young female stage performers
1908: The London Times•“a young lady who has not yet been promoted to long frocks and the wearing of her hair 'up'“
1912: a girl who has "just come out.” (debutant)
Violet Romer, born in 1886 in San Francisco, California, was an American actress, dancer and flapper
1920: “Flapper” had taken on the full meaning of the flapper generation style and attitudes.
"the social butterfly type… the frivolous, scantily-clad, jazzing flapper, irresponsible and undisciplined, to whom a dance, a new hat, or a man with a car were of more importance than the fate of nations".Actresses such as Joan Crawford
built their careers on the flapper image
Vices: scandalous dances Charleston The Shimmy The Bunny Hug The Black Bottom
Joan Crawford
Clara Bow
Blondie Boopadoop: a carefree flapper girl who spent her days in dance halls
1920S
MoviesActressesMovies about Flappers
TabloidsSensational crimeCelebrity gossip
One Summer: America, 1927Bill Bryson
1930S
Prohibition and
Alcohol
1607: Jamestown, Virginia
1620: Pilgrims. Plymouth Colony
1630: Puritans, Massachusetts Bay Colony
1648: Pilgrims + Puritans = Congregationalist
Alcohol Use in Colonial Times
Provided warmthImproved one’s outlookEnlivened social events
Weddings Christenings Election-day gatherings Funerals
Colonial Americans
Believed that alcohol was beneficial Alternative to suspect water Alcohol cured sickness, aided digestion and
strengthened the weak. Whiskey was taken for colic and laryngitis. Hot brandy punch addressed cholera. Rum-soaked cherries helped with a cold. Pregnant women and women in labor were
given a shot of whiskey to ease their pain.
Colonial Americans
Started the day with a pick-me-up
Enjoyed a midmorning whistle wetter
Libations at luncheon, in the afternoon, and at supper, imbibed either at home or at a local tavern.
Drinking was everywhere:
At home, work, school In the fields In shops At sea and in military
camps.
1639: Harvard President Nathaniel Easton was fired when the school didn’t supply enough beer to students
Tavern Culture Informal socializing Social, sporting, cultural organizations Business Politics
Prohibitions Sabbath Election days
Cultural Mores Men only
Drunkenness versus Moderation
Pilgrims/Puritans/Congregationalists: Attacked drunkenness Alcohol as a necessary part of life
1622 – Virginia Company of London Complained to Governor Francis Wyatt at
Jamestown that drinking hurt the colony.
James Oglethorpe, founder of Georgia No rum, no slaves, no lawyers and no Catholics
Drunkenness versus Moderation
Benjamin Franklin called for moderation
"nothing is more like a fool than a drunken man”
200 different names for being drunk
Addled Afflicted Biggy Boozy Busky Buzzey Cherubimical Cracked Halfway to Concord, Bowz'd,
Cherry merry Fetter'd Lappy Mountous See a flock of moons Be right before the
wind with all you studding sails out
Thump over the Head with Sampson's Jawbone
Great Awakenings in the United States
Periods of Intense Religious Revival 1st: 1730 – 17552nd: 1790 – 18403rd: 1850 – 19004th: 1960 – 1980
Significantly impacted the development of religion in the US
Politics and social reform movements
The Great AwakeningsPersonalized Spirituality
Personal revelation and introspection
Emotional – ecstatic religious experiences
Personal authority/independence
Personal morality
Evangelical Emphasis on the Bible “Return to Fundamentals” Calvinist
Revival Meetings
Millennialism (2nd, 3rd and 4th) Personal Repentance Social Reform
Kevin P. Dincher
71
The First Great Awakening (1730 – 1755)
George Whitfield (1714 – 1770) Methodism Evangelical Movement Open-air Revival Meetings
Jonathan Edwards (1703 – 1758) 1732: Public Lecture: God Glorified in Man’s Dependence 1741: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God The End for which God Created the World
Gilbert Tennent (1703 – 1764) Presbyterianism: New Lights
Kevin P. Dincher
72
The First Great Awakening: Alcohol?
Not a prohibition/temperance movement
2nd Great Awakening
Personal reform Moderation and
temperance
Kevin P. Dincher
73
The Western Frontier – and the Cities
French and Indian War (1754–1763) Seven Years War Proclamation Line of
1763 Appalachian Mountains
Post-Revolution Expansion
The Whiskey Rebellion 1791: tax protest Western
Pennsylvania