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Carry Nation, standing at 6ft tall and weighing at about 180lbs, described
herself as "a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus, barking at
what he doesn't like!" Nation was best known as "
Hatchet-Wielding Champion of Alcohol Prohibition." |
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Carry Amelia Moore was born on November 25,1846. Her family had moved a
lot during her childhood, but finally settling at Belton, Missouri where
she met her first husband, Charles Gloyd, on November 21,1867. They
separated right before Carry had their daughter "Charlien."
Gloyd died a year later from alcoholism, this created Carry to join the
WCTU (Women's Christian Temperance Union.) They dealt with issues from
health and hygiene to prison reform and world peace. The WCTU group
was working to close about seven illegal liquor outlets through
non-violence! But after that spring it became quite violent. |
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In December 1877 she married Dr. David Nation and moved to a cotton
plantation near Houston, Texas. In 1901 he divorced Carry on the boundary
of desertion. After this she went to Kansas to begin her destroying of the
saloons. It took 10 years before all the existing saloons in Kansas
disappeared. Kansas was the first state in the Nation to prohibit alcohol
by constitutional amendment in 1880. While destroying the saloons (the
liquor or the bars), slot machines, cash registers, and fixtures were
damaged. |
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Between 1900-1910 Carry Amelia Nation was arrested at least 30 times. She
had to pay fines up to $300. Nation paid this from her lecture-tour fees
and sales of souvenir hatchets. These added up to over $300 a week! During
this time period of her being arrest, she was often attacked and beaten very badly. |
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WCTU was also against tobacco, foreign foods, corsets, skirts of what they
thought was improper length, and pornographic art (found in bar rooms.) In
1900 she had given herself another nickname as an "aggressive
supporter of prohibition towards alcohol." Finally people in Kansas
began to calm down in March 1901, while Carry Nation had national
attention and traveling widely delivering lectures and making personal
appearances. |
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During the last few years of Carry Amelia Nation's life, she had published
a few short-lived newsletters: 1. Smashers' Mail 2.The Hatchet 3. Home
Defender. And an autobiography: The Use of the Life of Carry A. Nation;
published in 1904. Up until 1905 Topeka was her home, then she moved down
to Oklahoma Territory. As she kept smashing bars and struck with hatchets,
she'd be "singing, praying, hurl biblical-sounding
vituperations" as they'd march into the saloons. She presented an
obstacle to anyone attempting to stop her. |
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Carry Amelia Nation died after a period of hospitalization in Leavenworth,
Kansas. She died on June 9,1911. In a diary they found were 3 quotes of
her own: 1. " I felt invincible. My strength was that of a giant. God
was certainly standing by me. I smashed 5 saloons with rocks before I ever
even took a hatchet." 2. " I want all hellions to quit puffing
that hell fume in God's clean air." 3. "Men are nicotine-soaked,
beer-besmirched, whiskey-greased, red-eyed devils." Nation has been
the topic of numerous books, articles, a 1966 opera at KU. |
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Bibliography |
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| Cool Things; Carry Nations Hammer; www.kshs.org/cool2/hammer.htm;
5-9-05 |
| Women in American History; "Carry Amelia Moore
Nation"; www.britannica.com/women/articles/Nation_Carry_Amelia_Moore.html;
5-11-05 |
| Answers.com; "Carry Nation"; www.answers.com/topic/carry-nation;
5-11-05 |
| Carry Nation; www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/carry_nation.html;
5-6-05 |
| People&Events; Carrie Nation; www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/1900/peopleevents/pande4.html;
5-9-05 |
| Carry Nation; www.answers.com/topic/carry-nation;
5-6-05 |
| Carry
Nation; www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAWnation.htm
; 5-17-05;PICTURE |
| answers.com;
Carry Nation; www.answers.com;
5-17-05; PICTURE |
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Stephanie Garlock |
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8th American History |
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2005 Project |