The Drunkard's Progress

In this episode, we discuss how the reactions to the ever-rising drinking rates in the US and Great Britain culminated into organized movements that demanded greater temperance. We are only scratching the surface here, as there is a whole lot of history to tackle. This episode covers some early influential figures, such as Dr. Benjamin Rush, Lyman Beecher, and Joseph Livesey. It also touches on the temperance movement in France, which primarily focused on one spirit in particular: absinthe. Will absinthe really cause you to hallucinate? Tune in to find out! Primary Sources:Samuel Couling, History of the temperance movement in Great Britain and Ireland : from the earliest date to the present time (London: 1862). Nathaniel Currier, The Drunkard’s Progress: From the First Glass to the Grave (1846). Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, second edition, edited by Leonard W. Labaree, Ralph L. Ketcham, Helen C. Boatfield, and Helene H. Fineman (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1964), 198.Bernhard Gillam, Between Two Evils, print, Puck (April 19, 1882). Leonard W. Labaree, ed. “Treaty of Carlisle, 1 November 1753,” The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 5, July 1, 1753, through March 31, 1755 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1962), 84–107. Founders Online, National Archives.Secondary Sources:Elena Abbott et al., “Religion and Reform,” Emily Conroy-Krutz, ed., in The American Yawp, eds. Joseph Locke and Ben Wright (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2018).Chelsea Bishop, “What to Know About Absinthe,” WebMD (October 21, 2024). James Nicholls, The Politics of Alcohol: A History of the Drink Question in England (Manchester:  Manchester University Press, 2011).Anthony S. Parent, Flocks of Birds: Virginia Colonialism into Native Country, 1670-1776 (University of South Carolina Press, 2025). Rod Phillips, Alcohol: A History (University of North Carolina Press, 2014). P.E. Prestwich, “French Workers and the Temperance Movement,” Cambridge University Press online, 2008. Written and recorded by: Kenyon PayneTheme music: "Southern Gothic" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Outro music: “D´vil,” anrocomposerAdditional featured music:“One Story Ingrid,” White_Records“Wise Old Traveling Cowboy,” UniqueCreativeAudio“Classical Trumpet Concerto,” Luis_Humanoide“Violin Type Beat 2,” iamPawsMusic“Tavern Celebration,” Table Top Audio“It is Well with My Soul,” Music_For_Videos“Legacy of Chopin. Nocturne No. 20 Hip-Hop version,” White_Records“Paris Love,” LP-Studio-music“Queen of the Ghosts,” Diamond_Tunes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.