Changes

'''Taverns''', (also called '''saloons''', '''bars''' or '''inns''' or (in England and Australia, '''public houses''' and '''pubs''') serving food, beer and hard liquor, have performed a major social and communications role in many countries over the last 500 years.  

'''Taverns''', (also called '''saloons''', '''bars''', '''inns''' or in England and Australia, '''public houses''' and '''pubs''') serving food, beer and hard liquor, have performed a major social and communications role in many countries over the last 500 years.  

[[File:Tavern.jpg|thumb|380px|Temperance art often featured a small child begging her father to come home now.]]

[[File:Tavern.jpg|thumb|380px|Temperance art often featured a small child begging her father to come home now.]]

Americans drank heavily, for rum was cheap. In 1770 per capita consumption was 3.7 gallons of distilled spirits per year, or approximately seven shots a day, with the men consuming most of the quota for women and children. That 3.7 gallons does not include the beer or hard cider that colonists routinely drank in addition to rum, the most popular distilled beverage available in English America. Benjamin Franklin printed a "Drinker's Dictionary" in his ''Pennsylvania Gazette'' in 1737, listing some 228 slang terms used for drunkenness in Philadelphia.  

Americans drank heavily, for rum was cheap. In 1770 per capita consumption was 3.7 gallons of distilled spirits per year, or approximately seven shots a day, with the men consuming most of the quota for women and children. That 3.7 gallons does not include the beer or hard cider that colonists routinely drank in addition to rum, the most popular distilled beverage available in English America. Benjamin Franklin printed a "Drinker's Dictionary" in his ''Pennsylvania Gazette'' in 1737, listing some 228 slang terms used for drunkenness in Philadelphia.  

The sheer volume of hard liquor consumption fell off, but beer grew in popularity and men developed customs and traditions based on how to behave at the tavern. By 1900 the 26 million American men over age 18 patronized 215,000 licensed taverns and probably 50,000 unlicensed (illegal) ones, or one per hundred men.  Twice the density could be found in working class neighborhoods. They served mostly beer; bottles were available but most drinkers went to the taverns. Probably half the American men avoided saloons, so the average consumption for actual patrons was about a half-gallon of beer per day, six days a week. The city of Boston (with about 200,000 adult men) counted 227,000 daily saloon customers.<ref>Kingston (1973) p 472-3. About half the men belonged to pietistic Protestant churches (such as Methodists and Baptists) that severely frowned on drinking in those days.</ref>

The sheer volume of hard liquor consumption fell off, but beer grew in popularity and men developed customs and traditions based on how to behave at the tavern. By 1900 the 26 million American men over age 18 patronized 215,000 licensed taverns and probably 50,000 unlicensed (illegal) ones, or one per hundred men.  Twice the density could be found in working-class neighborhoods. They served mostly beer; bottles were available but most drinkers went to the taverns. Probably half the American men avoided saloons, so the average consumption for actual patrons was about a half-gallon of beer per day, six days a week. The city of Boston (with about 200,000 adult men) counted 227,000 daily saloon customers.<ref>Kingston (1973) p 472-3. About half the men belonged to pietistic Protestant churches (such as Methodists and Baptists) that severely frowned on drinking in those days.</ref>

===Colonial America to 1800===

===Colonial America to 1800===

Reformers who saw the terrible effects of heavy consumption of alcohol on public disorder, health, and quality of work, made periodic attempts to control it in Mexico City in the late 18th and early 19th century. The poor frequented the pulcherías where pulque, made from the maguey plant, was sold. After the legalization of the more potent aguardiende in 1796, the poor could also afford the viñaterías where hard liquor was served, and drunkenness increased. The taverns played an important social and recreational role in the lives of the poor. Influential citizens often owned the pulcherías and opposed reform as did owners of the maguey haciendas. Tax revenues from alcohol were important to the government. These factors, added to lax enforcement of the laws, resulted in the failure of tavern reform.<ref>Michael C. Scardaville, "Alcohol Abuse and Tavern Reform in Late Colonial Mexico City." ''Hispanic American Historical Review'' 1980 60(4): 643-671.</ref>   

Reformers who saw the terrible effects of heavy consumption of alcohol on public disorder, health, and quality of work, made periodic attempts to control it in Mexico City in the late 18th and early 19th century. The poor frequented the pulcherías where pulque, made from the maguey plant, was sold. After the legalization of the more potent aguardiende in 1796, the poor could also afford the viñaterías where hard liquor was served, and drunkenness increased. The taverns played an important social and recreational role in the lives of the poor. Influential citizens often owned the pulcherías and opposed reform as did owners of the maguey haciendas. Tax revenues from alcohol were important to the government. These factors, added to lax enforcement of the laws, resulted in the failure of tavern reform.<ref>Michael C. Scardaville, "Alcohol Abuse and Tavern Reform in Late Colonial Mexico City." ''Hispanic American Historical Review'' 1980 60(4): 643-671.</ref>   

==Australia==

==Australia==

"Wowser" was a negative term for Christian moralists in Australia, especially activists in temperance groups such as the the [[Woman's Christian Temperance Union]]. Historian Stuart Macintyre argues, "the achievements of the wowsers were impressive." They passed laws that restricted obscenity and juvenile smoking, raised the age of consent, limited gambling, closed down many pubs, and in 1915-16 established a 6pm closing hour for pubs, which lasted for decades.<ref>Stuart Macintyre, ''The Oxford History of Australia: vol 4: 1901-42'' (2002) p . 112-3</ref>

"Wowser" was a negative term for Christian moralists in Australia, especially activists in temperance groups such as the [[Woman's Christian Temperance Union]]. Historian Stuart Macintyre argues, "the achievements of the wowsers were impressive." They passed laws that restricted obscenity and juvenile smoking, raised the age of consent, limited gambling, closed down many pubs, and in 1915-16 established a 6pm closing hour for pubs, which lasted for decades.<ref>Stuart Macintyre, ''The Oxford History of Australia: vol 4: 1901-42'' (2002) p . 112-3</ref>

==See also==

==See also==

* [[Prohibition]]

* [[Prohibition]]