The Puritans believed that alcohol was a gift from God that was to be used and enjoyed by all people. It was acceptable to choose not to drink, but according to the Puritans it was heresy to despise alcohol. At the first Thanksgiving, many of the foods we associate with the holiday, such as mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, were not eaten, but they did have beer, brandy, gin and wine with the foods they did have. Many countries have adopted this idea that anyone and everyone should be able to drink, and the majority have set age limits with exception on drinking but none tougher than the United States.
The majority of countries around the world have a drinking age set at eighteen with exceptions that allow for the consumption of alcohol at an earlier age provided adult supervision. These countries allow for young people (age sixteen) to drink alcohol in bars, restaurants, and special events, with an adult of legal age. The age limit, set at eighteen, is only used for the purchase of alcohol. The United States is one of three countries in the entire world to have a drinking age as high as twenty-one, yet we still have one of the biggest problems with alcohol abuse. The United States should learn from these other countries, and allow young people to slowly progress into drinking so that once they reach the age of twenty-one they will be able to handle their drinking responsibly.
College students, who range in age from eighteen to twenty-two on average, based on a four year university, have shown that they can responsibly handle their drinking. A survey conducted at 168 U.S. colleges and universities found that 98% of students never got into trouble with an administrator because of drinking, 93% have never gotten a lower grade or missed a class because of drinking, and 90% have never engaged in irresponsible behavior after having to many drinks. This shows that this age group has learned to drink sensibly and not let the alcohol control them and their actions.
