Jack S. Blocker Jr. traces the Women's Temperance Crusade of 1873-74 from its origins in public lectures by health reformer Dio Lewis through its rapid spread across the nation, to its culmination in the Women's Christian Temperance Union. The non-violent tactics of the Crusaders are described, and their progression from meetings to marches and occasional political campaigning is explored, along with the responses, ranging from active support to violent opposition, that the Crusade evoked. An analysis of causation critically examines previous explanations for the Crusade's timing,...