Brotherhood of Temperance Watchmen Banner, East Raymond, Maine, 1851. Maine State Museum. Gift of the Casco Historical Society, 90.116.1.
Brotherhood of Temperance Watchmen Banner, East Raymond, Maine, 1851. Maine State Museum. Gift of the Casco Historical Society, 90.116.1.
Rooted in their religious beliefs, America's first reformers wished to improve society. Many viewed temperance, a movement to abolish alcoholic drink, as a critical means to achieve this. A Maine temperance society commissioned this banner showing Neal Dow, temperance reformer and mayor of Portland emptying a barrel of whiskey into the street.
Alcohol's critics stressed not only health risks, but drinkers' poor decisions, destroyed families, and squandered money. Curbing the use of alcohol was one way reformers believed they could improve workers' lives