An Nation of Inebriates

Sign of the Hancock Tavern, Boston

Join us this week as we discuss how prevalent alcohol consumption was in the British Colonial period and the Early Republic. Hint: it was a lot! Rum, beer, whiskey, Madeira wine, each served important economic, social, and political roles in the early US history. How did early Americans function when alcohol was so widely available? Were there early critics of alcohol? How did early drinking patterns influence social reform movements? Find out on this week’s episode.