Max Mann's Whiskey Jug: Primary Source Deep Dive (Grades 6-8)
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Five Feather Whiskey was Max Mann's main export, a second-generation Jewish immigrant born and raised in Bayou Sara. It was the largest port between New Orleans and Natchez on the Mississippi. Bayou Sara boasted a prominent Jewish population; however, there were neither synagogues nor churches in the town owing to its unruly nature. Max Mann owned the Max Mann Saloon, the most popular saloon in town, making him one of the richest men in Bayou Sara. He primarily sourced his whiskey from Edwin Schiele & Company in St. Louis, and it was transported by riverboat. Max claimed to be the label's sole agent in Bayou Sara and the surrounding area. The Max Mann Saloon was on the riverfront, making it practical in theory and easy for merchants to bring in supplies. However, in practice, this also made the saloon vulnerable to the frequent flooding of the Mississippi River. In 1912, a severe flood hit Bayou Sara, damaging the building. Within a few years, the town bounced back, and Mann rebuilt the saloon in another part of town. However, it was never the same. The Mississippi River continued to rise, and the levees weakened. As Mann’s saloon continued to thrive despite the hardships of frequent floods, hostility festered towards alcohol amongst the Anti-Saloon League and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.
These organizations crusaded against alcohol on the principle of reducing destruction in the towns nationwide as a result of drunken behavior. Women sought to have their men be more present in the home. Drinking was central to American life all the way up to the White House, where President Andrew Johnson had been notoriously drunk at his inauguration and set the precedent for alcoholism to be embedded within the culture. During World War I, calls to ban alcohol correlated with anti immigration protests since beer sales were dominated by German immigrants. This led to the passage of the 18th Amendment by Congress in January 1919, followed by the Volstead Act, which cracked down on states that remained wet, such as Louisiana. Mann shut down his saloon at the last minute. Prohibition devastated Bayou Sara financially, leading to depopulation, and the mostly abandoned town eventually sank during the 1927 Mississippi Flood.
Comprehension Questions:
How was whiskey transported to Bayou Sara?
Which organizations crusaded against alcohol?
What year did Congress pass the 18th Amendment?
Discussion Questions:
Look at the primary sources and read the article. After reading the article, what questions do you still have about the sources?
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