America knows lots of different reforms. One of them may be described as essentially democratic movements that expressed the will and desires of the people at large, others as essentially elite movements that sought to enact reforms that privileged persons believed were good for the common people regardless of whether people actually wanted those reforms. Every reform is a part of American history, and now we may analyze them as the time has passed and we can see the results of these reforms.
Three most significant waves of movements in America dealt with health, especially drugs, alcohol, sex, and tobacco. These tree periods occupied 1830 – 1860, 1880 – 1920 and 1970 – 2007. The movements received the name “Clean living movements”, which aims were to forbid people till 21 buy alcohol, to reduce smoking in the streets (Engs, 2001).
The first reform movement period dealt with temperance, tobacco and women’s rights. Alcohol was considerate as a medicine till 1812, so was allowed in big amount. The problem of drunkenness appeared and it was a struggle with it, but drinking was not forbidden. The temperance movement held in several phases. Temperance movement began to involve more and more people during 1820s – 1830s; especially it became popular to refuse from alcohol among middle class (Engs, 2001).
Tobacco was also an essential part of Americans’ life till it was not identified as dangerous to people’s life. During this time women movement for their rights is on its beginning stage. All these movements were on the wane before the war.
The second period of clean living movement took place in twenty years and dealt with saloons, which played one of the main parts in that American society. The problems of alcohol and smoking still existed, but there appeared several more, the main were tuberculosis and influenza. The problem of public health created new reform movements, which aim was to reduce the number of saloons and create some departments which could control the appearance and widespread of serious diseases, as the epidemias of tuberculosis was a real problem to that time society (Engs, 2001).
The last, third reform movement appeared in 1970 and continues till our time. The problems which appeared during this period also needed some decisions and providing reforms. The biggest problems are drugs and AIDS, what is drugs result in most cases. The religion awoke and requested some changes (Engs, 2001).
So, the different health reform movements appeared in America since 1830 reflect the decisions in our time. The sale and drinking of alcohol is forbidden for people fewer than 21, smoking is forbidden in public, thanks to different health reforms influenza is not so dangerous disease in the USA, and the epidemias of tuberculoses is prevented. Women have much more range of rights than they had before and the religion is developing and more people are involved into the religion beliefs. All these reforms were very up-to-date, and with there help many problems were considered at the very beginning.
Of course, these reform movements were not the only which shook America. Political, agricultural, educational and others appeared in different times in America. Lots of ethnical and race problems were solved during the reform movements. Some problems still exist, and a new President tries to solve them as quickly as possible. Reforms, in most cases, appear right in time when they mostly need and when the society is ready for some changes.
Reference List
Engs, Ruth Clifford. (2001) Clean Living Movements: American Cycles of Health Reform. Greenwood Publishing Group.