Prohibition: A Ken Burns PBS special
 

Anyone else watch part 1 last night?

I learned an awful lot about how Prohibition came into being I never knew before.

Ditto. Really fascinating, Ken Burns knows how to bring these sorts of things to life.

I always thought it was Carrie Nation that drove it but now I know she neither started the movement or was it's biggest supporter. I see a lot of parallels with modern drug prohibition as well.

I haven't watched the program yet. But I always thought the prohibition of alcohol was just part of a greater movement. Stemming from the banning of mixtures handed out like candy that contained cocaine, opium, heroin, amphetimines and other drugs. These snake oils whether OTC or prescribed were said to cure everything from whooping cough to anxiety. But these wonder medicines soon caused many to become addicted to the substance. It was a real problem back in the teens and twenties.

But I guess Americans drew the line when it came to thier whiskey.

I had always thought it was the religious right that drove prohibition but it crossed party lines and the split was more urban vs. rural.

Interesting to note the origins of "Teetotaler", "Skid Row" and "Bootlegger"!

A salient lesson that when democracies legislate morality, the cure is usually worse than the disease.

Personal sidebar; In 1946 my Mother was living and working at the Toronto chapter of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union when she met the man who would become my Father just out of the RCAF and working as a bartender. They married that year and were together until his passing.

I also really enjoyed the first episode. This looks like it will be his best since The Civil War. :up:

Actually according to the show the biggest opposition was not against drinking per se but rather against Saloons specifically. Part of the reason the 18th Amendment passed was few people thought it would affect them personally.

Oh I hope they replay it. I had no idea he had a new one coming out.

I was watching Boardwalk Empire last night. That's close, right? :D

It's PBS. They're bound to play it a gazillion times as well as gift you a set when you become a member.

So is this a documentary about the Kennedys?:D

They mentioned JFK's grandfather in the first episode. Haven't heard anything mentioned about Joe yet though.

BTW episode 2 is on now...

How long are the episode...

2 hours each it looks like.

Then it seems like a good and interesting entertainment, :yep: