About the book
Between 1865 and 1920, Congress passed laws to regulate obscenity, sexuality, divorce, gambling, and prizefighting. It forced Mormons to abandon polygamy, attacked interstate prostitution, made narcotics contraband, and stopped the manufacture and sale of alcohol. Gaines Foster explores the force behind this unprecedented federal regulation of personal morality — a combined Christian lobby.
Foster analyzes the fears of appetite and avarice that led organizations such as the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the National Reform Association to call for moral legislation and examines the efforts and interconnections of the men and women who lobbied for it. His account underscores the crucial role white southerners played in the rise of moral reform after 1890. With emancipation, white southerners no longer needed to protect slavery from federal intervention, and they seized on moral legislation as a tool for controlling African Americans.
Enriching our understanding of the aftermath of the Civil War and the expansion of national power, Moral Reconstruction also offers valuable insight into the link between historical and contemporary efforts to legislate morality.
Editions of Moral Reconstruction
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807826973
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807853665
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807860168
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890874207
Read an Excerpt
Between 1865 and 1920, Congress passed laws to regulate obscenity, sexuality, divorce, gambling, and prizefighting. It forced Mormons to abandon polygamy, attacked interstate prostitution, made narcotics contraband, and stopped the manufacture and sale of alcohol. Gaines Foster explores the force behind this unprecedented federal regulation of personal morality — a combined Christian lobby.
Foster analyzes the fears of appetite and avarice that led organizations such as the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the National Reform Association to call for moral legislation and examines the efforts and interconnections of the men and women who lobbied for it. His account underscores the crucial role white southerners played in the rise of moral reform after 1890. With emancipation, white southerners no longer needed to protect slavery from federal intervention, and they seized on moral legislation as a tool for controlling African Americans.
Enriching our understanding of the aftermath of the Civil War and the expansion of national power, Moral Reconstruction also offers valuable insight into the link between historical and contemporary efforts to legislate morality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Moral Reconstruction about?
Between 1865 and 1920, Congress passed laws to regulate obscenity, sexuality, divorce, gambling, and prizefighting. It forced Mormons to abandon polygamy, attacked interstate prostitution, made narcotics contraband, and stopped the manufacture and sale of alcohol. Gaines Foster explores the force behind this unprecedented federal regulation of personal morality — a combined Christian lobby.
Foster analyzes the fears of appetite and avarice that led organizations such as the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the National Reform Association to call for moral legislation and examines the efforts and interconnections of the men and women who lobbied for it. His account underscores the crucial role white southerners played in the rise of moral reform after 1890. With emancipation, white southerners no longer needed to protect slavery from federal intervention, and they seized on moral legislation as a tool for controlling African Americans.
Enriching our understanding of the aftermath of the Civil War and the expansion of national power, Moral Reconstruction also offers valuable insight into the link between historical and contemporary efforts to legislate morality.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Moral Reconstruction?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of Moral Reconstruction?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807826973
How long is Moral Reconstruction and how many pages does it have?
Moral Reconstruction has 336 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Moral Reconstruction?
Gaines M. Foster
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Moral Reconstruction is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807826973) and paperback(ISBN 9780807853665) and ebook(ISBN 9780807860168) and pdf(ISBN 9798890874207)
Where can I buy Moral Reconstruction online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Moral Reconstruction from below
Where can I buy Moral Reconstruction?