Dr. Balcerski yes. The congressional Temperance Society, in a way, is a reflection of a Larger Movement at this time in america, that is to say the temperance movement. It is almost a phenomenon to this Larger National movement. There was an Organization Called the american Temperance Society, which was founded in the 1820s with the goal to lessen the consumption of alcohol. They were not yet committed to full abstinence or tea totaling. So that the congressional Temperance Society founded in the next decade, the 1830s, was essentially an outgrowth of those early efforts of this First American Temperance Society. Host all of this in essence a precursor to the Prohibition Movement in the early 20th century. Dr. Balcerski yeah. It is a long history. One could think of the history of temperance as being a precursor to prohibition, but i like to think of them as stages in a series of a social movement that will lead to one of the greatest constitutional revolutions in American History, tha
balcerski, a professor in connecticut state university, the author of the book bosom friends, the intimate world of buchanan and king. thanks for joining us. i want to begin with research you conducted on the congressional temperance society back in the mid-1800 s. exactly what was that and why is it significant? dr. balcerski: yes. the congressional temperance society in a way is a reflection of a larger movement at this time in america that is to say the temperance movement. it is almost an empty largerenon to this national movement. there was an organization called the american temperance society, which was founded in the 1820 s with the goal to lessen the consumption of alcohol. they were not yet committed to full abstinence or t totaling. the congressional society founded the next decade in the 1830 s was essentially an outgrowth of those early efforts of this first american temperance society. host: all of this in essence a precursor to the prohibition movement in the