The Anti-Saloon League was founded by Howard Hyde Russell, a minister in Ohio, in 1893. It was the main pro-prohibition fighting force. It included churches from every denomination but Catholic because of the division since the Reformation era. Its only goal was to create a pro-temperance government. It was called the Church in action against the Saloon. Wayne Wheeler was a prominent figure in the organization. He was tremendously good at convincing people to vote for temperance. He was the primary force behind pro-temperance politicians' campaigns. He helped infiltrate the government and make it mostly dry. This was helpful when the XVIII amendment was being debated because now the States will approve it quicker due to their temperance views. They were one of the largest groups to unite and take a stand for the ideals they believed in; removing alcohol.
Women's Christian Temperance Union
The national Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was one of the primary advocates for temperance in the 1800s. It was founded by housewives who were tired of their drunkards and/or husbands. They organized pray-ins at local saloons demanding that the sale of liquor be stopped immediately. Three months after they started they had driven liquor out of over 250 communities. There main goal was to protect the home. Their slogan was "For God and Home and Every Land". Through educating children (Mass propaganda) about the dangers of alcohol and how it is ruining literally everything, they helped push the Temperance movement closer to success. The WCTU also worked for women's suffrage so that their opinions could finally be heard. The XVIII amendment got passed right after women gain suffrage and now all these anti-saloon groups can have a say. Though after many of the communities they had convinced to abstain from alcohol they started dealing with other issues that were totally unrelated to Temperance. The WCTU was also the first organization to have a full-time professional lobbyist in Washington D. C. This was another key component of getting the bill passed. Through the hardships and abuse they suffered, they took their resentment and anger and took a stand by launching and supporting a nationwide fight against the evils they encountered and associated with alcohol.
Carrie Nation
Carrie Nation was born on November 25, 1846 in Kentucky. She said that she had a vision from God to go destroy a saloon. She became known for her smashing of saloons with a hatchet to promote prohibition of liquor and was arrested at least 30 times because of her violence. Her methods were unconventional to say the least and she was the primary leader of the radical side of the prohibition. She often used Carry A Nation as both a name and a slogan. She went “viral” in newspapers across the nation. Many supporters of the prohibition did not support Carrie’s actions, though, and thought they were much too contradictory with their ideals and beliefs. She had a vision to abolish alcohol from her country through arguably chaotic measures, and took a stand to try to make that vision a reality.