What movement's primary focus was on the advocacy for abstinence from alcohol?

Study for the AMSCO AP United States History Exam covering Period 6. Prepare with multiple-choice questions, hints, and explanations. Get ready for your APUSH exam!

The Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was primarily focused on advocating for abstinence from alcohol during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1874, the WCTU emerged as a significant force in the temperance movement, which sought to reduce or eliminate the consumption of alcoholic beverages due to its perceived negative impact on society, especially concerning family life and public morality.

The WCTU believed that alcohol was responsible for various social issues, including crime, domestic violence, and poverty. By promoting abstinence, the organization aimed to improve the moral fabric of society, protect families, and empower women, who were often the victims of alcohol-related abuse. Members of the WCTU often engaged in public demonstrations, educational campaigns, and lobbying efforts that contributed to the eventual passage of the 18th Amendment, which established Prohibition in the United States.

In contrast, other movements mentioned in the question had different primary goals. The labor movement focused on workers' rights and improving labor conditions, the suffragette movement centered on women's right to vote, and the Social Gospel movement aimed at addressing social issues through Christian ethics, including poverty and inequality, but not specifically on alcohol abstinence.

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