the hyper-partisan politics of prohibition hyper-partisan politics of prohibition grade level: ......
TRANSCRIPT
The Hyper-Partisan Politics of Prohibition
Grade Level: 7–12
Related Academic Subjects: U.S. History, Language Arts, Civics/Government
Lesson Overview: The Prohibition era was rife with hyper-partisanship, which came to a climax
during the 1928 presidential election. In this lesson, students examine the extreme politics of the
1924 Democratic Convention and the 1928 presidential election. They will analyze the
propaganda tactics of that time and apply that learning to the political climate of today.
Lesson Objectives: (Students will…)
• Explain the causes for the extremist political climate of the 1924 Democratic National
Convention and the 1928 presidential election
• Analyze tactics of extremism used during the Prohibition era and develop a short
presentation
• Apply learning about extremism during the Prohibition era to examples of hyper-partisan
political propaganda in political topics today
• Formulate a presentation evaluating the effectiveness of hyper-partisan messaging in
politics today
Estimated Time: 3 class periods with research time
Video Segments:
Episode 2 – Two Americas, Democratic National Convention
Explanation: The 1924 Democratic National Convention set the stage for one of the largest
political battles between urban and rural America. The issue that nearly broke the back of the
convention was the legitimacy of the Ku Klux Klan, but what was really at stake was the identity
and direction of the country. For more than two weeks and 103 nominating ballots, the battle
raged between the two leading contestants, New York Governor Alfred E. Smith and former
Secretary of the Treasury William Gibbs McAdoo. The convention ended with both sides
exhausted and a lackluster nominee, John W. Davis, who got crushed by Calvin Coolidge in the
general election.
Episode 3 – A Genuine American (Al Smith and the election of 1928)
Explanation: On the surface, the 1928 presidential election looked like a simple choice between
a colorful, progressive urbanite and a successful conservative bureaucrat: Al Smith, Democratic
governor of New York, and Republican Herbert Hoover, Secretary of State for outgoing
President Calvin Coolidge. But from the day after Smith was nominated, the election campaign
quickly became one of the most bitter in U.S. history. Hoover’s surrogates attacked Smith’s
Catholic religion and his support for the repeal of Prohibition. The character assassination was
spiteful and effective. Smith was accused of being a drunk, of being under the control of the
Pope, and of not being a good American. Leading figures in the Republican administration
encouraged Protestant clergy to campaign against Smith in their Sunday sermons. Smith was
defeated in a landslide, but he brought into the open the discussion of whether Prohibition should
be kept in the law.
Materials Needed
• Computers with Internet access or interactive whiteboard
• Overhead viewing screen
Student Handouts:
• Extreme Politics Video Viewing Guide, Segments 1 & 2
• Elements of Extremism in the Battle over Prohibition
• Hyper-partisan Messaging in Politics Today
Lesson Procedure
Opening Activity—Video Viewing Activity
In this activity, students will view video segments from Prohibition that explore the Democratic
National Convention of 1924 and the presidential election of 1928. In both these events,
Prohibition was not the main issue, but it colored every other issue. The elections pitted two
Americas against each other: the old rural, Protestant countryside and the new, diverse world of
the big cities. This struggle to control the direction of the country spurred some of the most
vitriolic attacks against a presidential candidate in the history of American politics.
Student analysis of the hyper-partisan politics of the two elections provides a foundation for
identifying examples of hyper-partisan political activity.
Before showing the video, divide students into groups of 4 or 5. Ask them to define the term
“partisan” (a supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, especially a person who shows a
biased, emotional allegiance). Then have students brainstorm examples of political partisanship
they have observed in the past several years during political elections or debates over public
policy.
1. Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5 students.
2. Then distribute the handout “Extreme Politics Video Viewing Guide” (PDF) to all
students. Review the directions with the class.
3. There are two types of questions in this viewing guide: note taking and discussion
(questions with an asterisk). You can have the student groups view the video segments in
class while taking notes and then discuss the questions. Or you can assign the note-taking
questions (the non-asterisked questions) for homework and have them discuss the
asterisked questions in class.
4. After all groups have taken notes and discussed the questions on their handouts from both
video segments, debrief the class with the following questions. These provide more in-
depth background on political activities of 1924 and 1928 and give students the
opportunity to analyze the events in greater detail. Suggested answers are italicized in
parentheses.
Segment 1: Two Americas
• H.L. Mencken was an urban newspaper columnist in the 1920s. From what you
read in his passage, how would you describe his (and thus, many urbanites’)
attitude toward Prohibition? (He and many people living in the larger cities had
little respect for and did not support Prohibition.)
• Looking back over the years since the 1924 election, what factors led to the
formation of two Americas? (Large-scale industrialization in the urban areas, but
not in the rural middle section or the South; migration of immigrants and African
Americans to urban areas bringing diverse cultural influences; faster-growing
populations in the urban areas; a broader cross-section of cultural influences;
and different lifestyle in urban areas.)
• How did these factors generate stereotypes creating narrow impressions of how
each part of America (urban and rural) saw the other? (Answers will vary, but
students should identify stereotypes such as that the rural areas were “backward”
and out of step; urban areas were “sinful” and had little respect for tradition;
rural areas were steeped in religion and intolerant of those different from them;
urban areas were dirty, lawless, and full of immigrants changing the American
character. To be sure, these factors existed to some degree in both areas, but not
to the degree and completeness seen by the opposing sides. The reality was that
each side felt the other was taking American in the wrong direction.)
• There were many issues surrounding the 1924 Democratic Convention — a
graduated income tax law, enforcement of antitrust laws, tariff reduction, political
scandals, workers’ rights and collective bargaining, and child labor. How did the
floor fight over the anti-Klan initiative overshadow these other issues? (It took up
most of the Convention’s time and energy.) Discuss the political implications of
this plank for the candidates, the Democratic Party, and the American public.
(Though the Ku Klux Klan’s real political influence on a national level was very
suspect, its resurgence alarmed many and heartened some. If candidates
supported the Klan or were supported by them, they were tagged as racist. For
the Democratic Party, Klan affiliation identified the organization with the Deep
South and alienated many urban Progressives. For the public, the fight over the
anti-Klan initiative distracted the Convention from discussing the issues
important to all Americans.)
Segment 2: A Genuine American
• Review the events surrounding the raids on New York nightclubs ordered by
Assistant Attorney General Mable Walker Willebrandt. Present arguments for or
against the idea that these raids — conducted so close to the Democratic National
Convention — constituted an abuse of power. (Answers will vary. Make sure
students identify both sides of the argument — that Willebrandt was carrying out
the enforcement of the law because the law was being broken and the timing of
the raids had nothing to do with the Democratic National Convention. OR that the
raids were deliberately conducted in New York City the day after the Democratic
National Convention to embarrass the Democratic nominee for president, Al
Smith, who opposed Prohibition.)
• What influences seemed to drive the Anti-Saloon League and other Prohibition
supporters not to compromise on revising the Volstead Act? (There were many.
Most supporters of Prohibition were driven by religious conviction. They believed
that since a constitutional amendment had never been repealed, theirs was safe.
They had steadily won support in many states. Through intense lobbying, they
controlled the reapportionment process and denied any congressional
redistricting that would have shifted the majority of representation to the urban
areas where support for Prohibition was weak.)
• Though Republican candidate Herbert Hoover stayed out of the extreme politics,
how did his surrogates who supported Prohibition make Al Smith synonymous
with Prohibition and all that was wrong with America? (They focused on the
South, trying to persuade southern Democrats to support the Republican
candidate, Herbert Hoover. They falsely accused Smith of being a drunk, calling
him the “cocktail president,” and denounced his Catholic faith. They dismissed
his supporters (many of whom were immigrants or ethnic minorities) as the “dirty
people” from the streets of New York.)
• How did such tactics constitute “class warfare,” pitting Americans against
Americans? (The condemnation of Smith’s urban supporters, many of whom were
ethnic minorities, further deepened the breach between urban and rural dwellers;
the Ku Klux Klan’s attack on Smith’s Catholic religion characterized him as an
agent of the Pope, bent on destroying the Protestant majority.)
• What are your thoughts on Mable Walker Willebrandt’s speech to Methodist
ministers encouraging them to rally their congregations against Al Smith?
(Answers will vary.)
Discuss whether you believe such rhetoric would be effective today and the
reasons. (Answers will vary.)
Main Activity Part 1
In this activity, students will review several examples of extreme political messages in cartoons
and prose created before and during the Prohibition period.
1. Divide the class into groups of 3 to 5 students.
2. Distribute the handout “Elements of Extremism in the Battle over Prohibition” to all
groups and review the historical background with them.
3. Have students review the criteria for indentifying extreme political tactics. Mention to
them that detecting such methods is not an exact science, but that in most cases, such
traits are found in propaganda that has extreme elements.
4. Then have them examine the examples of political propaganda listed on the handout.
When students have completed their research, work with each group to identify one
example to present to the class.
Main Activity Part 2
In this activity, students will examine how extreme politics are affecting our ability to adequately
address issues and problems facing the nation.
1. As a class, review the essay on “What Prohibition can teach us about civility and
democracy” on the National Constitution Center’s website
http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/what-prohibition-can-teach-us-about-civility-and-
democracy/ and watch the video clip from Prohibition producer/director Ken Burns.
2. Have students meet in small groups for quick reactions. Have them discuss the following
questions (you can write these on the front board or overhead):
• What are your thoughts on the amount of hyper-partisan politics that is found on
cable news, talk radio, and the blogosphere? Do you think the examples real or blown
out of proportion? Explain.
• Do you feel that political discourse in the United States is becoming similar to the
fear-mongering, polarization, and cynicism of the Prohibition era?
• Do you think political discourse has gotten to a level where American democracy in
jeopardy? Explain.
• The so-called “noble experiment” of Prohibition turned out to be an unmitigated
disaster. Some historians place part of the blame on the “all-or-nothing” political
tactics of Prohibition’s supporters and their unwillingness to compromise. What is the
lesson of unintended consequences for those who do not value civility, common
decency, and compromise today?
3. Have the class brainstorm a list of controversial issues facing the United States today that
might have a propensity for hyper-partisan tactics.
Here are some examples:
• Political candidates
• Wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, justice for terrorists, America’s world image
• Religion affiliation (Christian, Muslim, Jew)
• Government regulation (its effects on economic development and personal
freedom; protecting the American people from unsafe conditions)
• National debt, balanced budget, cutting entitlement spending (Medicare, Social
Security)
• Public employees, collective bargaining
• Big business (Wall Street v. Main Street, corporate bailouts, redistributing wealth)
• Mainstream/Lamestream media coverage and interpretation of events and issues
• Health care reform
• War on drugs
• Immigration reform
• Education reform
• Rights and liberties (1st, 2
nd, and 4
th Amendments; 10
th Amendment—states’
rights)
4. Divide the class into groups of 4 to 5 students. Distribute the handout “Hyper-partisan
Messaging in Politics Today” to all groups.
5. Have each group select (or assign for them) one of the controversial issues from the
brainstorm list. Have students follow the guide on the handout to research websites,
blogs, and news sources for examples of extreme political messaging on their topic and
develop the presentation as a traditional newspaper op/ed piece, digital slide presentation,
website, blog, or social media posting.
6. Provide an opportunity for students to present their findings and conclusions and receive
feedback on their work.
Assessment
• Students can be assessed on their participation in class discussions, thoughtful
participation in group work, and the detail and thoroughness of their video viewing
graphic organizers. In their presentations, students should have all the listed elements and
an analysis comparing the hyper-partisan tactics with fact-based reporting. They should
also summarize the effect of hyper-partisan propaganda on American’s attempt to address
important issues.
Extensions/Adaptations
• Research an organization involved in addressing a moral or health-related issue and
compare their propaganda tactics with those of the Anti-Saloon League in its methods of
influencing the public.
• Create a fact-checking website or blog site that examines claims made by politicians,
organizations, or the news media on current events and issues.
• Research other periods in American history when hyperbole trumped reason and the
unintended consequences that resulted. Suggested periods would be the 1800 presidential
election; the election of Andrew Jackson; the prelude before the Mexican-American War;
1850s on the issue of slavery and/or the 1860 presidential election; the events leading up
to the Spanish-American War; the Gilded Age and muckrakers of the late 19th
century;
the reform movement; the anti-German propaganda of World War I and postwar
propaganda; commentators like Father Coughlin; the anti-Japanese, anti-German
propaganda of World War II; McCarthyism; and the Vietnam era.
Resources
• The Anti-Saloon League http://www.wpl.lib.oh.us/AntiSaloon/
• Welcome to the WCTU http://www.wctu.org/
• Old Magazine Articles http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/Prohibition_History
• “In Defense of Partisan Politics,” Brookings Institute
http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2009/0408_partisan_nivola.aspx
• “Prohibition,” Clash of Cultures
http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/mmh/clash/Prohibition/prohibition-index.htm
• “Ballot Brawl of 1924,” The Washington Post
http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/mmh/clash/Prohibition/prohibition-index.htm
Related Academic Subjects/Standards (McREL http://www.mcrel.org)
Historical Understanding
Standard 2: Understands historical perspective
Level III: (Grades 7–8)
• Understands that specific individuals and the values those individuals held had an
impact on history
• Analyzes the influence specific ideas and beliefs had on a period of history
Level IV (Grades 9–12)
• Analyzes the values held by specific people who influenced history and the role their
values played in influencing history
• Analyzes the influences specific ideas and beliefs had on a period of history and
specifies how events might have been different in the absence of those ideas and
beliefs
United States History
Era 7 – The Emergence of Modern America (1890–-1930)
Standard 20: Understands how Progressives and others addressed problems of industrial
capitalism, urbanization, and political corruption
Level III (Grades 6–8)
• Understands the spread of Progressive ideas and the successes of the Progressive
movement
• Understands the influence of events and individuals on the Progressive movement
Level IV (Grades 9–12)
• Understands major social and political issues of the Progressive era
• Understands how the Progressive movement influenced different groups in American
society
Civics
Standard 1: Understands ideas about civic life, politics, and government
Level III (Grades 6–8)
• Understands how politics enables people with differing ideas to reach binding
agreements
• Understands competing ideas about the purposes government should serve
Level IV (Grades 9–12)
• Understands how politics enables a group of people with varying opinions and/or
interests to reach collective decisions, influence decisions, and accomplish goals that
they could not reach as individuals
• Understands some of the major competing ideas about the purposes of politics and
government and knows examples of past and present governments that serve these
purposes
Standard 13: Understands the character of American political and social conflict and
factors that tend to prevent or lower its intensity
Level III (Grades 6–8)
• Knows conflicts that have arisen regarding fundamental values and principles
• Knows how disagreements regarding specific issues may arise between people even
though the people agree on values or principles in the abstract
• Knows news sources of political conflict that have arisen in the United States
historically as well as in the present
• Knows instances in which political conflict in the United States has been divisive and
reasons for this division
Level IV (Grades 9–12)
• Understands issues that involve conflicts among fundamental values and principles
such as the conflict between liberty and authority
• Knows why people may agree on values or principles in the abstract but disagree
when they are applied to specific issues such as the right to life and capital
punishment
Standard 19: Understands what is meant by “the public agenda,” how it is set, and how it is
influenced by public opinion and the media
Level III (Grades 6–8)
• Knows how the public agenda is shaped by political leaders, interest groups, and state
and federal courts; and understands how individual citizens can help shape the public
agenda
Standard 28: Understands how participation in civic and political life can help citizens
attain individual and public goals
Level III (Grades 6–8)
• Understands how Americans can use the following means to monitor and influence
politics and government at local, state, and national levels: joining political parties,
interest groups, and other organizations that attempt to influence public policy and
elections; voting; taking part in peaceful demonstrations; circulating and signing petitions
About the Author: Greg Timmons has been a social studies teacher for more than 30 years. He
has written lessons for the Ken Burns’ series The War, The National Parks: America’s Greatest
Idea and Baseball. He resides in Washington state and Montana.
Name ___________________________________________ Date___________
Student Handout: Extreme Politics Video Viewing Guide
Directions: In this viewing activity, you will be taking notes and discussing questions in your
small group. Review the first video segment and take notes on the graphic organizer. When you
come across a question with an asterisk (*), meet with your group members to discuss and take
notes on the graphic organizer. These notes will be helpful for the main activity. Use additional
paper if necessary. Be prepared to share your information with the class.
Video Segment 1
Episode 2 – Two Americas, Democratic National Convention
June, 1924… H.L. Mencken
When the white, Protestant, Nordic delegates from the Christian Endeavor regions of the South and Middle West arrive in the big town, their tongues hanging out, they will get all that they have dreamed of all these months. It will cost them somewhat more than the dreadful corn liquor of their native steppes, but they will quickly get too much aboard to bother about money. In brief, I formally prophesy that the Democratic National Convention will be as wet as Democratic National Conventions have always been, and that the Prohibitionist delegates, as always, will do more than their fair share of guzzling.
1. This video segment opens with the quote above from H.L. Mencken, a columnist
for the Baltimore Sun. Read the segment and complete the questions below:
• How does Mencken describe the Prohibitionists who will be attending the
Democratic National Convention in 1924?
• Observe the montage of newsreel footage shown along with Mencken’s
words. What impression does this give you of the 1924 Democratic National
Convention?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Term Meaning
White, Protestant,
Nordic delegates…
…Christian
Endeavor regions…
…their native
steppes…
• Mencken uses literary terms to illustrate his statement, much as a cartoonist
uses symbolism and caricature to make an editorial point. Explain how
Mencken uses these terms to further illustrate his points.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
• H.L. Mencken wrote this passage four years after the Prohibition amendment
was adopted. What do you think is the point of his statement? How do you
think Mencken feels about the delegates to the Democratic National
Convention? How do you think he feels about Prohibition?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. * Discuss the “Two Americas” that are at odds during the Democratic National
Convention:
• What do these two Americas represent? ___________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
• What caused this split to come about? __________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
• * Discuss whether you believe a similar split exists today in the United States
and support your answer.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. At the 1924 Democratic National Convention, two contenders emerged, William
Gibbs McAdoo and Alfred E. Smith.
• Describe the character and background of these two contenders:
Gibbs ______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Smith ______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
• How did Smith’s character and stand on alcohol create a political liability for
him?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. During the convention, Smith’s supporters proposed a plank in the Democratic
platform denouncing the newly revived Ku Klux Klan.
• Where did the two leading candidates stand on this proposal?
Gibbs ______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Smith ______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
• How was the issue resolved? Why do you think it was resolved this way?
___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
• * Discuss the possible reasons Smith’s supporters wanted the anti-Klan
plank. How did they think such a condemnation would hurt Gibbs’ chances
for the nomination? What were the possible gains and risks from such a
proposal for Democrats running for office in 1924?
___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
• * How did the anti-Klan plank proposal controversy end? Who was
nominated for president? What is the lesson learned in this event?
___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Name ____________________________________________________ Date _____________
Student Handout: Extreme Politics Video Viewing Guide
Video Segment 2
Episode 3 – A Genuine American (Al Smith and the election of 1928)
Directions: In this viewing activity, you will be taking notes and discussing questions in your
small group. Review the second video segment and take notes on the graphic organizer. When
you come across a question with an asterisk (*), meet with your group members to discuss and
take notes on the graphic organizer. These notes will be helpful for the main activity. Use
additional paper if necessary. Be prepared to share your information with the class.
1. On June 30, 1928, Al Smith, governor of New York State, accepted the
Democratic nomination for president. On July 1, 1928, 160 federal Prohibition
agents conducted raids on New York City nightclubs, closing the establishments
and arresting patrons, owners, and employees.
• Because of Al Smith’s opposition to Prohibition, his campaign organization raised
questions over the timing of this and subsequent raids in New York City. Mable
Walker Willebrandt, the dedicated upholder of the Volstead Act, which enforced
the Prohibition Amendment, denied any coincidence. If you were a news reporter
at the time, what questions might you ask Smith and Willebrandt about this
incident?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• * Discuss whether you believe Ms. Willebrandt’s actions constituted an abuse of
power.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• Describe the differences between the Republican nominee, Herbert Hoover, and
the Democratic candidate, Al Smith.
Hoover ___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Smith ___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• How might Al Smith’s personality and New York accent affect voters living in
cities and rural areas in different ways?
City dwellers ______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Rural dwellers ___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• By 1928, it was apparent to many that Prohibition was not working and the
Volstead Act was ineffective in enforcing the law. As the 1928 election campaign
heated up, the Prohibitionist organizations ratcheted up their efforts to preserve
Prohibition. What was the Prohibitionists’ stand on the Volstead Act and the
future of the Prohibition Amendment on the eve of the election, and why do you
think they felt this way?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• From information found in the video segment, document the ways political
operatives like James Cannon, Jr., maligned Al Smith as a presidential candidate,
attacking his character, his religion, and his supporters.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• * Discuss Mable Walker Willebrandt’s strategy of going before Methodist
ministers, as a high-level member of government, to campaign against Al Smith.
Why would such tactics be effective in America in 1928? Do you think they
would be effective today? Explain.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• Describe how Smith responded to the accusations against him.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• * Discuss how effective you think this response was and why.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• * What, in your view, is the legacy of Al Smith in the 1928 election?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Name ______________________________________ Date ________________
Student Handout: Elements of Extremism in the Battle over
Prohibition
Background: Part of the effectiveness of the Anti-Saloon League (ASL) and other temperance
organizations was their ability to inflame the public. The Anti-Saloon League operated a
continual media blitz, the likes of which no one had ever seen in the United States. In the years
prior to the passage of the 18th
Amendment, the ASL’s printing presses published three
newspapers and a journal, and each issue was a weapon against the alcohol interests. Many of the
issues spotlighted the heroes of the battle against alcohol and the enemies of the League, with
detailed stories of alcohol’s role in domestic abuse and crime. The publications encouraged
readers to join the fray by writing letters to politicians, suing saloon owners, or harassing them in
other ways. The July 1920 copy of The American Issue had a circulation of 1,746,184 and took
50 tons of paper and 950 pounds of ink to publish.
In addition to its media campaign, the ASL was very adept at controlling the political direction
of the country. Once they had succeeded in passing the 18th
Amendment, ASL operatives
protected it by controlling congressional reapportion after the 1920 census. By aggressively
lobbying their state and federal legislative representatives, they were able to postpone
congressional reapportionment from 1920 through 1928. This tactic of keeping representation in
the cities to a minimum meant that the urban lack of support for Prohibition could not overturn
the legislation.
But probably the most notorious example of the Anti-Saloon League’s political muscle is its
ability to destroy political opponents. During the 1928 presidential election, the ASL and its
associates mounted an attack of political extremism on Democratic presidential nominee Alfred
E. Smith that contributed to his overwhelming defeat. The League didn’t have an easy time of it.
Al Smith was a popular governor from the most populated state in the Union. He supported the
repeal of Prohibition, pointing out its numerous failures, with which many Americans agreed.
Rather than combat Smith on the issues, the League attacked him personally. In speeches,
publications, newsreels, and mailings, the Anti-Saloon League maligned Smith’s Catholic
religion, accused him of being a drunk, and questioned his patriotism. In the end, Republican
candidate Herbert Hoover, a supporter of Prohibition, buried Smith in an electoral landslide.
Tactics of Extreme Political Propaganda
• A refusal to compromise or suggest alternatives to address a problem.
• Employing the tactic of “divide and conquer”: identifying anyone who agrees with them
as “friends” and anyone who disagrees as “enemies.”
• Attacking anyone who professes to be moderate or in the middle as “misguided” “ill-
informed,” or collaborating with the “enemy.” The intention is to build a dedicated,
unquestioning core of supporters.
• Making unsubstantiated claims against anyone who disagrees with their position. These
can include associating those who oppose them with a real or perceived enemy.
• Using loaded words, usually negative, to describe those opposed to their position. Name-
calling, claiming someone is guilty or dangerous because of an association they have with
someone who might be or is perceived to be dangerous.
• Calling for direct action against opponents and asking that people be ready to commit
themselves and sacrifice whatever is necessary.
Name ___________________________________________ Date___________
Student Handout: Examining Extreme Political Propaganda Review the three resources listed on the chart and record your findings. Use additional paper as necessary.
Questions/Examples
Collection of political cartoons
http://www.wpl.lib.oh.us/AntiSaloon/
pmaterial/cartoons/
Warnings Against the “Roman
Catholic Party”
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5073
Ten Nights in a Barroom
http://www.wpl.lib.oh.us/images/asl/
ap11_12p6.GIF
Who or what organization
produced these cartoons or
article?
For what audience are the
cartoons or article written?
What is the central message
of the cartoons or article?
List examples of how the
writer uses extreme
propaganda tactics to convey
his/her message.
What are your thoughts on
the views expressed in the
article or cartoon?
Name ___________________________________________ Date___________
Student Handout: Hyper-partisan Messaging in Politics Today
Background: Partisan political expression is as old as the nation itself. The meaning of
partisanship has changed over time, but it essentially means a commitment to a political
ideology, party, or cause. Partisanship is, for the most part, a healthy and necessary element of
any democracy. People who are committed to a political philosophy need to be strong in their
convictions and true to their cause. However, at times partisanship can become extreme and
intolerant of others’ beliefs or positions. Periods of hyper-partisanship often occur in times of
economic or political turmoil, as was the case in the decade before the Civil War or during the
Great Depression.
George Washington, in his Farewell Address,
(http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp ) warned that partisanship would create
distrust and rivalries that will either divide the union or take control the government. James
Madison rationalized partisan politics in Federalist Paper #10 by saying that the mischief of
“factions” — citizens united by a common passion — could be diminished because other groups,
with opposing interests, would prevent any one group from gaining too much power. The United
States prides itself on its pluralism, in which political power is distributed and shared by various
groups of people. Pluralism actually strengthens democracy because it places a check on tyranny
and makes government more accountable.
But today, some people fear hyper-partisanship will nullify democracy’s effectiveness. When
one group dominates all others in political discourse, only one way of addressing problems is
heard. And the solution is usually tailored for only one group of people. This was the case during
the temperance period, as the message of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the
Anti-Saloon League calcified. They became not only intolerant of opponents’ views, but bent on
their destruction.
Directions: In this activity, you will research a controversial topic facing the United States today
that has fallen to hyper-partisan tactics.
1. Initially, your selected topic might be too broad. Have members of your group spend a
little time reviewing news articles on the topic and refine the topic into a thesis.
Examples:
• Political candidates personified as evil or unpatriotic
• Threats by religious extremists vs. free expression of religious belief
• Any type of reform presented as saving or destroying the country
2. Once you’ve identified your thesis, research for examples of hyper-partisan propaganda
in speeches, political campaigns, commercials, cartoons, editorials/op-ed writings on
cable news, talk radio, websites, or blogs.
3. Use the tactics of extreme political propaganda you studied in the activity “Elements of
Extremism in the Battle over Prohibition” to help you determine whether a piece of
propaganda is hyper-partisan.
Include these elements in your presentation to describe your topic and support your thesis:
• Two or three editorial cartoons that express hyper-partisan messages with explanations
• Several examples of speeches, commercials, or political campaign materials that contain
hyper-partisan messages
• Analysis of one of these examples identifying the hyper-partisan tactic(s) and an analysis
of the same issue that appeal to reason and logic rather than emotion (Research the facts
of the issue and compare them to the claims made to appeal to the emotions.)
• Summary of your findings and evaluation of the effect such hyper-partisan propaganda
has on addressing important issues in a democracy
Presentation:
You can present your findings in any number of ways: traditional paper, op/ed piece, digital slide
presentation, website, blog, or social media posting.
Resources:
News analysis
• “It’s No Laughing Matter — Analyzing Political Cartoons,” The Library of Congress
http://memory.loc.gov:8081/ammem/ndlpedu/features/political_cartoon/
• “How to Detect Bias in the News,” Media Awareness Network http://www.media-
awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/handouts/broadcast_news/bw_bias_in_the_ne
ws.cfm
• Media Research Center http://www.mrc.org/public/default.aspx (organization whose
mission is to educate the public and media on liberal bias in the media)
• Media Matters for America http://mediamatters.org/ (non-profit progressive research and
information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting
conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.)
• “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” http://www.dailyshow.com (show that takes a
reality-based look at news, trends, pop culture, current events, politics, sports, and
entertainment with an alternative point of view)
• “The Colbert Report” http://www.colbertnation.com (show that satirizes news pundits
covering the current news, current events, politics, sports, and entertainment)
Fact Checking:
• FactCheck.org http://www.factcheck.org/
• Snopes.com http://www.snopes.com/
• PolitiFact.com http://www.politifact.com/