WayneWheeler

AishaChughtai&DevenMichels
SeniorDivision
GroupWebsite
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ProcessPaper
WebeganoursearchforourNHDtopicwithsomeguidancefromourAPUSHistory
teacher,andweredirectedtoWayneWheeler.Wedidntrecalllearningabouthiminanyofour
historyclasses,butweretoldhehadsomeconnectiontoProhibition.Weremembered
ProhibitionandtheRoaring20sasavibranttimeinAmerica,whichintriguedus.Wechosethis
topictoexploretheconnectionbetweenWheelerandProhibitionandlearnhowsucharadical
AmendmentpassedthroughCongress.
InordertofullycomprehendWheelersactions,wefirstneededathoroughbackground
onAmericaatthetime:groupsliketheAntiSaloonLeagueandtheWomensChristian
TemperanceUnion,theculture,andthepolitics.Westartedatalocaluniversity:MinnesotaState
University.Theyhadextensivedatabases,oneswecouldntaccessotherwise,thatprovidedthe
majorityofourprimaryresources.Takingitonestepfurther,wevisitedtheMinnesotaHistorical
SocietyLibrarytoexploreawidervarietyofresources.Therewefoundacoupleofextremely
helpfulbooks,oneofwhichwasanalyticalandunbiased,whichhelpedusunderstandthe
politicalscenesurroundingWheeler.Thishelpedusgainamoreindepthunderstandingof
Wheelerandwhatothersatthetimethoughtofhiswork.Oneofourmostimportantsourceswas
theKenBurnsdocumentary.Itwasextremelyresourcefultousinunderstandingtheentiretyof
Prohibition.
WestartedourresearchwiththegoaloflearningabouttheconnectionbetweenWheeler
andProhibitionandthepassageofthe18thAmendment.WelearnedthatWheelerstacticswere
revolutionary:hemadepowermoreaccessibletoallpeopleandempoweredsingleissuegroups
tocontrolpoliticsandchangethepoliticallandscapeofanentirenation.
Aftercompletingourresearch,wewroteanessay,convertingallourresearchintomain
pointsrelatingtothetheme.Wetookeachsubtopicandfoundinteractivematerial(maps,videos,
etc)tosupportit.Finally,wetransformedeachsubtopicintoaseparatepageonourwebsite.
Aftertheregionalcompetition,wemetwithaHistoryDaystaffmembertoreceivemore
feedbackandimproveourwebsite.Welearnedalotaboutteamworkthroughthisexperience.
Overall,wewantedourwebsitetoreflectthreethings:professionalism,multipleperspectives,
ourunderstandingandknowledgeofthetopic,interactivity,andrelationtothetheme.

Wheelerwasanextremelyinfluentialandpowerfulleaderofhistime.Heledthe
AntiSaloonLeaguetobecometheleadinglobbyistgroupthatpushedthe18thAmendmentinto
ourConstitution.Heaccomplishedthisthroughhisstrongpersuasionskillsandtactics,whatare
todayknownaspressurepoliticsorWheelerism.WhileWheelersnameishardlymentionedin
textbooks,hemadeasignificantimpactonpoliticseverywhere.Heempoweredsingleissue
activistgroupstopromotetheircausesandpersuadethemasses.Ultimately,hedesigneda
systeminwhichsmallcausesbecameforefrontpoliticalpartyplatformsandelectiondeciders.