Students learn the history of the temperance movement and Prohibition in the United States. They outline the movement’s growth and success, the effects of Prohibition, and its decline. They give their opinions on Prohibition and discuss related issues such as whether it is ever valid to restrict a right.
Students read an overview of the temperance movement and Prohibition, including the passage and later repeal of the 18th Amendment. They view an image of liquor being poured into a sewer during Prohibition and respond to a poll about whether states have the right to require drivers to wear seat belts. Students then watch Prohibition Preview and post their opinions about the effort to ban alcoholic beverages on a shared wall.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the lesson focus and objectives, highlighting that students will examine government attempts to restrict individual behavior. Facilitate discussion of the seat belt poll, prompting students to articulate arguments about public safety versus personal freedom. After students watch the video and post to the wall, guide a conversation about when, if ever, laws that restrict individual rights can be justified, asking for concrete examples of restrictive laws students might support or oppose.
Students examine an image of Governor James P. Goodrich signing the Indiana Prohibition Act and read the text of the 18th Amendment. They read The Fight Against “Demon Rum” to learn about the history and impacts of Prohibition, then complete a two-column graphic organizer identifying advantages and disadvantages of prohibiting alcoholic beverages.
Teacher MovesClarify the language and significance of the 18th Amendment as needed. Monitor students as they read and complete the organizer, prompting them to distinguish between intended goals and unintended consequences of Prohibition and to support entries with evidence from the reading.
Students view an image of a committee of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and read background text about the roots of the temperance movement, its religious connections, and the roles of groups such as the WCTU and the Anti-Saloon League. Using online research, they investigate the history of the temperance movement and then post responses on two class walls explaining, first, the increasing success of the movement before the 1930s and, second, its decreasing influence after the 1930s.
Teacher MovesSupport students in conducting focused online research and connecting their findings to the provided background text. Review and select interesting or strong responses from each wall to share with the class, using them to prompt discussion about why the movement gained support (for example, concerns about alcohol-related social problems) and why it declined (such as the rise of organized crime and other negative outcomes of Prohibition).
Students view an image related to alcohol prohibition and consider whether the temperance movement was a “noble experiment.” They watch Bet You Didn’t Know: Prohibition to learn additional details about Prohibition, then answer two polls about whether Prohibition was worth trying and whether its results were more positive or negative. On a shared wall, they explain the reasoning behind their poll responses. Students may also watch the newsreel Industry Booms after Repeal of Prohibition to see how repeal affected industry.
Teacher MovesUse the poll results to spark discussion about students’ evaluations of Prohibition, prompting them to connect their opinions to historical evidence from earlier scenes and the video. Encourage students to compare differing viewpoints and to consider both intended reforms and unintended consequences. Optionally, show the newsreel and briefly discuss how repeal influenced economic activity and public attitudes.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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