The temperance movement was led by a range of prominent figures, many of whom were deeply motivated by religious and social concerns about the effects of alcohol on society. Key leaders in the United States included:
- Carrie Nation , known for her radical approach of carrying a hatchet to smash saloons, motivated by her personal experience with alcoholism in her family
- Frances Willard , who was a major leader of the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and played a significant role in linking temperance with broader feminist and progressive causes
- Wayne Wheeler , a powerful lobbyist for the Anti-Saloon League, which was instrumental in pushing for prohibition laws
- Other notable leaders included Bishop James Cannon, Jr., Neal S. Dow, Mary Hunt, William E. Johnson ("Pussyfoot" Johnson), Howard Hyde Russell, John St. John, and Billy Sunday
The movement began in the early 19th century with moderate calls for temperance but grew into a push for total abstinence (teetotalism) and legal prohibition of alcohol. Women played a crucial role in the early temperance campaigns, particularly through organizations like the WCTU
. In summary, the temperance movement was led by a coalition of religious leaders, social reformers, and activists such as Carrie Nation, Frances Willard, and Wayne Wheeler, among others, who combined moral advocacy with political lobbying to achieve the eventual passage of prohibition laws in the United States
