Carrie Nation was a prominent figure in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Kentucky in 1846, Nation grew up in poverty and endured an abusive first marriage. After her second marriage to David Nation, a minister, she became involved in the temperance movement and began advocating for the prohibition of alcohol.
Nation’s first foray into activism was with the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), which was founded in 1874. The WCTU was a nationwide organization that aimed to combat the effects of alcohol on society, particularly on women and children. Nation became a member of the Kansas chapter of the WCTU in 1899 and quickly rose to prominence within the organization.
In 1900, Nation took her activism to a new level by launching a campaign of destruction against saloons in Kansas. She would enter saloons, sometimes accompanied by other women and supporters, and use a hatchet to smash bottles, barrels, and furniture. Upon entering these establishments she would yell “Smash! Smash! For the Love of Jesus! Smash!”. Nation claimed that her actions were sanctioned by God and that she was doing his work by destroying the “devil’s brew”.
Nation’s actions gained national attention, and she became known as the “hatchet-wielding temperance crusader”. Her raids on saloons continued for several years, and she was arrested multiple times for her actions. Despite her arrests, Nation remained undeterred and continued her crusade against alcohol.
Nation’s activism was part of a larger movement of women who were advocating for temperance and prohibition. The Women’s Temperance Crusade, which began in Ohio in 1873, was a grassroots movement of women who would gather outside of saloons and sing hymns and pray for the men inside to give up drinking. The crusade was successful in closing down many saloons, and it helped to lay the groundwork for the national prohibition of alcohol in the United States. For a time she even marketed souvenir hatches to supporters; these prohibition era relics are still collected to this day.
The temperance movement was motivated by concerns about the negative effects of alcohol on society, particularly on women and children. Alcohol was seen as a contributing factor to poverty, domestic violence, and other social problems. Women were also concerned about the impact of alcohol on their husbands and children, as well as the role of saloons as gathering places for men to engage in gambling, prostitution, and other vices.
Carrie Nation was a controversial figure, and her methods were often seen as extreme. However, she was a passionate advocate for temperance and prohibition, and her actions helped to draw attention to the issue. Nation’s legacy is complicated, and she is remembered both as a hero and a villain in the history of the temperance movement.
Below are some artifacts from the Temperance Movement:
