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July 1794-September 1851 Time Period: 1810-1850 **Criticism of America**: Sylvester Graham wanted a dietary reform. He criticized many American’s health problems as a result of eating rich, spicy foods and drinking abundant amounts of alcohol at one sitting. Also, he wanted Americans to stop eating meat because he believed this was the cause of sexual urges. Meat, spices, anything other than vegetarian foods were considered an unhealthy diet. Also Graham supported sexual abstinence. Overall, his goal was to develop a pure mind and body. To him, bread was the perfect food, but not white bread. The bread was to be made from coarsely ground wheat and flour.
 * Doctor Sylvester Graham **

** Methods Used to Improve Life: **
 * Graham had a list of advice to improve life. A few of which are ** children should eat every four hours and infants every three, eat at six hour intervals: 6:oo AM, noon, and 6:oo PM, and never snack, avoid salt and seasonings, and bathe often but only in cold water; swimming was good exercise, but never swim within three hours after eating or half an hour before eating. Also he published //Treatise on Bread and Bread-Making,// which simply explained how to make bread. He was a great public speaker and his lectures were attended by thousands of people. In his lectures, he explained the importance of eating a healthy diet.

** Success in promoting reform: ** Graham had a lot of success in promoting the reform. Those who followed Graham’s basic principles, which included temperance and sexual control, were called Grahamites. Graham had so much success that “Grahamism” became a movement. “Grahamism” relied on the idea that the human body will stay healthy by practicing healthy living. By the late 1830’s there were Graham boarding houses in cities such as New York and Boston. But also, the media and public ridiculed him of his values. In 1837, Graham went to Boston to give a lecture but he couldn’t find a place to speak because of riots from bakers and butchers.

** Practicality of goals: ** How the Government can help: **
 * Graham’s goals, at the time, were practical. During the 19th century, the American Temperance Society was formed. This society persuaded people to stop drinking. Graham wanted people to stop drinking and eat non-vegetarian foods. Since most people stopped drinking, their health started to improve. They wanted to improve their health even better and so they followed Graham’s principles. **
 * 
 * Since Graham thought bread was the perfect food, he needed flour and coarsely ground wheat. In order to get those ingredients, he would have to buy them. The federal government could donate money to help get the ingredients. Also, the government could provide Graham with a small army for his lectures. Graham scolded bakers because they adulterated flour with a variety of “unpure” ingredients. Bakers became outraged and so when Graham would travel to different cities and give lectures to the people, he would need a group of people to protect him from his enemies, specifically the bakers. **

2 .) James Caleb Jackson: He was influenced by Graham's movement. He wanted to create a wafer with Graham's flour and water and he did. It was called a granula. This was later the first cold breakfast cereal in history.
 * References: **
 * 1.) John Harvey Kellogg: He was Graham’s apprentice typesetter and he was exposed to Graham’s articles on health. After reading these articles, he became interested in his movement. When Kellogg was free, he read all of Graham’s writings. **


 * Bibliography:**

"History of Vegetarianism - Sylvester Graham (1795-1851)." __International Vegetarian Union__. 21 Feb. 2009. 6 Oct. 2009 [].

Kelleher, Tom. "Old Sturbridge Village | Explore & Learn | OSV Documents - Sylvester Graham, Dietary Reformer: A Biographical Sketch." __Old Sturbridge Village__. 6 Oct. 2009 .

"Sylvester Graham - Biography of Sylvester Graham." __Spiritus-Temporis.com - Historical Events, Latest News, News Archives__. 6 Oct. 2009 <[]>.