Final answer:
Religious groups like the Anti-Saloon League and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union gained influence to pass prohibition laws by endorsing political candidates, harnessing the social and moral sway of Protestant values, and addressing public welfare concerns. Their effective campaigning led to the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The influence of a small group of religious people in passing prohibitions can be attributed to their strategic political engagement and broad social influence. During the early 20th century, the Protestant churches and organizations such as the Anti-Saloon League and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union wielded considerable sway within the political sphere.
They endorsed candidates supportive of the prohibition and, with a significant portion of the American population following Protestantism, these groups were able to push for reforms that aligned with their moral and social values, often under the guise of what was known as the Social Gospel Movement.
By aligning with middle-class Protestant reformers and targeting the rural American districts, these groups were influential in getting laws passed at both state and federal levels. By 1916, half of the states had instituted prohibition laws, and the Anti-Saloon League fought tirelessly for a national amendment, which eventually culminated in the Eighteenth Amendment.
Notably, the endorsement of prohibitionist candidates was so powerful that lawmakers feared opposing them.Aside from political maneuvering, these groups captivated public sentiment by associating themselves with the betterment of public welfare, family stability, and worker efficiency.
Their message resonated with many Americans who were concerned about the social ills like family abuse, workplace inefficiency, and moral degradation tied to alcohol consumption. Given the debates of the time, this widespread moral conviction, coupled with astute political strategy, gave religious groups outsized influence.