HIST 289R Lecture Notes - Lecture 28: Speakeasy, Anthony Comstock, Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill
7 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
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Bootleggers-sells*an*illegal*product
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Comstock*Law*-Anthony*Comstock*on*3/3/1873*congress*passed*An*Act*for*
the*Suppression*of*Trade*in*and*Circulation*of*Obscene*Literature* and*Articles*
of*Immoral*Use*(get*rid*of*porn*and*birth*control)*
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Criminalized*the*sale*or*distribution*of*materials*and*the*import*of*such*
materials*from*oversees*
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To*stop*the*trade*of*obscene*literature*and*immoral*devices,*which*is*
broad
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Each*state*had*mini*Comstock*laws*to*cater*to*each*state*that*tried*to*
shut*down*the*trade*of*immoral*materials*
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Lasts*for*42*years
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They*then*used*creative*labeling*and*packaging*to*disguise*the*intended*
use*of*products*such*as*contraceptives*
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Ended*with*Grisworld*v.*Connecticut*that*allowed*women*to*have*access*
to*birth*control*and*information*in*1965
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Youngs'Rubber'Corporation'v.'C.I.'Lee'&'Co.,'Inc.'(1930) -The*supreme*court*
ruled*that*the*contraceptive*business*had*other*lawful*purposes*besides*
contraception*and*could*be*entitled*to*trademark*contraception*
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Protected*the*brand*even*though*they*are*producing*an*illegal*product*
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There*was*a*falling*birth*rate*even*in*the*period*when*the*sale*and*
manufacture*of*contraceptives*was*illegal*
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Prohibition*
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Various*group*had*been*trying*to*make*the*US*"dry"*for*almost*a*
century*before*prohibition*(1920-1933)*
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Democrats*and*republicans
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Powerful*industrialists*and*labor*unions*because*they*think*
workers*will*come*in*drunk*and*because*it'll*distract*workers*from*
organizing*
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The*KKK*and*NAACP
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Women's*groups*
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By*the*1970s*an*American*over*15*drank*just*under*6*gallons*of*absolute*
alcohol*each*year*
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Carry*nation*was*a*prohibitionist*
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65%*of*the*nation*was*dry*before*prohibition*was*passed*
-WWI*promoted*prohibition*because*the*grains*could*be*used*otherwise*to*
help*the*effort*
○Then*drinking*became*connected*to*the*Germans*and*was*patriotic*not*
to*drink*
-With*the*18th*amendment*consumption*isnt*illegal* but*purchasing,*selling,*
and*transporting*is*illegal*
○And*didn’t*define*intoxicating*liquors*
-Section*29*of*the*Volstead*act*permitted*the*domestic*production*of*wine*and*
cider*(but*not*beer)*from*fruit
-Many*individuals*and*private*clubs*stockpiled*wine*and*liquors
-There*were*exceptions*for*religious*use*and*can*prescribe*medicinal* alcohol*
-Speakeasies*changed*the*culture*of*drinking*in*the*us*and*made*is*a*social*
activity*between*men*and*women*
-Prohibition*was*a*major*blow*to*the*legitimate*alcohol*industries*and*only*half*
of*the*breweries*reopened*
-Unregulated*alcohol*lead*to*health*consequences*and*on*average*1000*
Americans*died*every*year*from*tainted*alcohol*
-None*of*the*economic*benefits*promised*to*the*legal*economic*emerged*
-Failed*bc*of*loopholes,*difficulty*in*enforcement,*consumer*demand*remained*
high,*economic*consequences*to*key*industries*
○So*much*money*to*be*made*for*looking*the*other*way*
-For*much*of*the*20th*century,*the*contraceptive*industry*operated*in*the*black*
market*-before*1873*almost*all*devices*were*available*
-Julius*Schmid,*the*king*of*condoms*-were*the*most*expensive*and*reliable
-Margaret*Sanger*-public*health*nurse*from*NYC*who*was*a*prominent*birth*
control*advocate*
○Wrote*Family*Limitation*that*talked*about*preventing*pregnancy*and*
immediately*leaves*the*country*
○Later*comes*back*and*opens*a*birth*control*clinic*
-Anti*venereal*disease*campaigns*during*WWI*expanded*support*for*
contraceptive*legalization*
-The*pill* is*approved*in*1960*but*still*cant*be*advertised*as*a*birth*control*pill*
-Markets*and*advertising*function*even*without*legal*framework*
-Legalization*seems*to*lower*the*cost*of*illegal* and*legal*weed*
Illicit&Consumption
Monday,*May*7,*2018
1:59*PM
Document Summary
Comstock law - anthony comstock on 3/3/1873 congress passed an act for the suppression of trade in and circulation of obscene literature and articles of immoral use (get rid of porn and birth control) Criminalized the sale or distribution of materials and the import of such materials from oversees. To stop the trade of obscene literature and immoral devices, which is broad. Each state had mini comstock laws to cater to each state that tried to shut down the trade of immoral materials. They then used creative labeling and packaging to disguise the intended use of products such as contraceptives. Ended with grisworld v. connecticut that allowed women to have access to birth control and information in 1965. Lee & co. , inc. (1930) - the supreme court ruled that the contraceptive business had other lawful purposes besides contraception and could be entitled to trademark contraception. Protected the brand even though they are producing an illegal product.
