Course title:

“Intoxication Nation: Alcohol in American History”

How did the thought for the course come about?

I desired to get students excited in regards to the past by introducing them to something that may be a big a part of their very own lives.

Alcohol played – somewhat surprisingly for me at first – a vital role in my very own research on Minority rights and US democracy in the midst of the nineteenth century. Therefore, I knew quite rather a lot in regards to the temperance movement and Conflicts over the ban during this time. The design of this course enabled me to my expertise.

What does the course examine?

Prohibition is a compulsory subject. Students expect it. But I take care of several hundred years of history: from the seventeenth century Invention of rum – as a byproduct of sugar production by slaves – to the Rise of craft beer And Craft Spirits within the twenty first century.

I’m thrilled when students are enthusiastic about details that allow them to try a more complicated historical cocktail. For example, they learn why Production of cider by white women was critical to the survival of colonial Virginia. The short answer: drinking water was scarce, alcoholic beverages were much healthier, and white men – and their indentured and enslaved labor – were busy growing tobacco. It was women's job to show fruit into salvation.

Why is that this course relevant now?

Alcohol stays a big and almost inescapable a part of American society. But recently, Americans have been drinking otherwise—and considering otherwise about drinking.

There are loads of examples. We learn that alcohol producers today Competition from legalized grass. Drinking quantities rose throughout the COVID-19 pandemichowever the interest is decreases amongst Generation Z. The “Wine Mama” culture that brought some moms together now faces increasing criticism.

And after all there may be the never-ending debate in regards to the health advantages And Risks of alcoholRecently, the risks seem dominating headlines.

What is a vital lesson from the course?

Alcohol is a highly controversial, central aspect of American history and has shaped nearly every aspect of our society – political and constitutional, business and economic, social and cultural.

What materials does the course contain?

What does the course prepare students for?

Like any history course, this one goals to develop students' analytical, writing, research, and oral skills. In some ways, the topic is only a tool to develop students' brains. But I also want to boost students' critical awareness of the place of alcohol in their very own lives. The course has also influenced students' life trajectories after graduation – including some who’ve gone on to work within the alcohol industry or in recovery organizations.