- in the 1820s and '30s a wave of religious revivalism swept the U.S.

- other "perfectionist" movements

- alcohol was seen as a destructive force in families and marriages

How it began

- in 1846 Maine was the first state to pass the prohibition law

- by the time the civil war began in 1861, many other states had followed suit

- women played a strong role in the temperance movement

- factory owners supported this act in their desire to prevent accidents and increase the efficiency of their workers