How Prohibition Became Law In The 1920S

The Prohibition Act, also known as the Eighteenth Amendment, was passed in 1917 and ratified in 1919, with the law coming into effect in 1920. The Act prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors, and was enforced by the Volstead Act, which outlined the rules for implementing the ban. The Prohibition era lasted from 1920 until 1933, when the Twenty-first Amendment was ratified, repealing the Eighteenth Amendment and bringing an end to Prohibition.

The Eighteenth Amendment was ratified in 1919

The Eighteenth Amendment, which banned the manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors, was ratified on January 16, 1919, with 46 out of 48 states voting in its favour. The Amendment was the culmination of a long-running temperance movement, which had gained momentum in the 1820s and 1830s, driven by religious revivalism and a desire to improve society.

The Anti-Saloon League, established in 1893, was a key player in the push for Prohibition, and its efforts were aided by the entry of the US into World War I. In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson introduced a temporary wartime prohibition to save grain for food production, and this, along with rising anti-German sentiment (as many brewers were German), dealt a blow to the anti-Prohibition forces.

The Eighteenth Amendment was ratified by Congress in December 1917, and it took just 11 months to gain the support of three-quarters of US states. The Amendment went into effect on January 17, 1920, and was enforced by the Volstead Act, also known as the National Prohibition Act. The Act set out the rules for enforcing the federal ban and defined what types of alcoholic beverages were prohibited.

Prohibition was difficult to enforce, and it led to a rise in illegal activity, including bootlegging, speakeasies, and organised crime. Despite early signs of success, such as a decline in arrests for drunkenness, those who wanted to keep drinking found increasingly inventive ways to do so. The illegal manufacturing and sale of liquor, or "bootlegging", became widespread, and criminal gangs, most famously Al Capone, earned vast sums of money from bootleg operations and speakeasies.

By the end of the 1920s, support for Prohibition was waning, and it was ultimately repealed on December 5, 1933, with the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment.

Prohibition lasted from 1920 to 1933

The Prohibition era in the United States lasted from 1920 to 1933. During this time, the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibited the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages.

The road to Prohibition was paved by the temperance movement, which advocated for moderation in, or complete abstinence from, alcohol consumption. The movement gained traction in the 1820s and 1830s, bolstered by a wave of religious revivalism that was sweeping the nation. The religious establishment, particularly Protestant evangelical congregations, remained central to the movement throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The push for Prohibition at the national level gained momentum in the early 20th century, led by the Anti-Saloon League. Other supporters included women's suffrage activists, who were concerned about the effects of alcohol on families, and industrialists, who wanted to increase worker efficiency. The Eighteenth Amendment was passed by Congress in 1917 and ratified in 1919, with 46 out of 48 states voting in favour.

The National Prohibition Act, also known as the Volstead Act, was passed in 1919 and provided guidelines for enforcing the ban on alcohol. The Act defined prohibited alcoholic beverages and set out penalties for producing them.

Despite the new legislation, Prohibition proved difficult to enforce. The illegal production and sale of liquor ("bootlegging"), the proliferation of secret drinking spots ("speakeasies"), and the accompanying rise in gang violence and organised crime led to waning support for Prohibition by the end of the 1920s. The stock market crash of 1929 and the resulting economic malaise further diminished support for the policy.

In 1933, Congress adopted a resolution proposing the Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution, which would repeal the Eighteenth Amendment. The Twenty-first Amendment was ratified on December 5, 1933, bringing an end to the Prohibition era.

The Volstead Act enabled enforcement

The Volstead Act, also known as the National Prohibition Act, was passed on October 28, 1919, and enabled the enforcement of the Eighteenth Amendment, which banned the manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors. The Act set out the rules for enforcing the federal ban and defined what types of alcoholic beverages were prohibited.

The Volstead Act tasked the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the Treasury Department with enforcing Prohibition. This led to the creation of the Prohibition Unit within the IRS. However, the Prohibition Unit faced issues with corruption, lack of training, and underfunding. As a result, the level of enforcement often depended on the sympathies of citizens in the areas being policed.

In 1929, the responsibility for enforcing Prohibition shifted from the IRS to the Department of Justice, and the Prohibition Unit was renamed the Bureau of Prohibition. The Bureau of Prohibition was headed by Eliot Ness, who led a massive offensive against organized crime in Chicago. Ness and his team, known as the Untouchables due to their resistance to bribery, successfully exposed Al Capone's tax evasion, leading to his arrest.

Despite the efforts of the Prohibition Unit and the Bureau of Prohibition, the enforcement of the Eighteenth Amendment proved challenging. The illegal production and sale of liquor, known as "bootlegging", along with the proliferation of speakeasies, or illegal drinking establishments, continued throughout the Prohibition era. This led to a corresponding rise in gang violence and organized crime, with criminal organizations bribing law enforcement officials to turn a blind eye to their activities.

In addition, individuals found creative ways to circumvent the law, such as obtaining whiskey through medicinal prescriptions or making their own liquor, known as "moonshine" or "bathtub gin", at home. The enforcement of Prohibition was further hindered by the lack of resources and the varied terrain of the country, including valleys, mountains, lakes, and swamps, which made it difficult for Prohibition agents to catch bootleggers.

Overall, while the Volstead Act provided the legal framework for enforcing Prohibition, the challenges of effective implementation highlighted the complexities and limitations of attempting to ban the production and consumption of alcohol in the United States.

The Twenty-First Amendment ended Prohibition

The Twenty-First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment and brought an end to the Prohibition era, was proposed by the 72nd Congress on February 20, 1933, and ratified by the requisite number of states on December 5, 1933. Utah became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, achieving the three-fourths majority of states' approval required for the amendment to pass.

The Twenty-First Amendment is unique among the 27 amendments of the U.S. Constitution as it is the only one to repeal a prior amendment. It also stands out as the only amendment to be ratified by state ratifying conventions, with each state holding a convention specifically for this purpose.

The Eighteenth Amendment, which mandated a nationwide prohibition on alcohol, was ratified on January 16, 1919, after years of advocacy by the temperance movement. The subsequent enactment of the Volstead Act established federal enforcement of the nationwide ban on alcohol. However, Prohibition proved to be highly unpopular and unenforceable, with many Americans continuing to drink, leading to the emergence of a profitable black market and fueling the rise of organised crime.

The Twenty-First Amendment expressly repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, ending national Prohibition. However, it is important to note that several states continued to be "dry states" in the years following, maintaining statewide temperance laws. The amendment also included a provision banning the importation of alcohol into states and territories that prohibited its consumption.

The end of Prohibition was expected to generate half a million jobs and boost tax revenues for state governments, which were much-needed during the Great Depression. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected in 1932, had campaigned on a platform promising the repeal of Prohibition, reflecting the shift in public sentiment.

The temperance movement advocated for moderation

The temperance movement had its roots in the 18th century, with figures like Benjamin Rush, a physician who recognised the negative health impacts of excessive drinking. Rush advocated for temperance, believing that fermented drinks had benefits but condemning the use of distilled spirits. Temperance societies began to emerge in the early 19th century, particularly in upstate New York and New England, though these early groups had little influence beyond their local areas.

The temperance movement gained momentum in the 1820s and 1830s, with the formation of organisations like the American Temperance Society (ATS) in 1826. The movement was popularised by evangelical reformers and gained traction among the middle classes. During this period, the focus was on promoting moderation and moral reform, rather than complete abstinence or legal measures. The ATS grew rapidly, claiming over 8,000 local groups and more than 1,250,000 members within 12 years.

The 1830s saw a significant expansion of temperance groups, not just in the US and the UK, but also in British colonies like New Zealand and Australia. This decade also saw the formation of the first formal Native American temperance society, established by the Pequot writer and minister William Apess in 1833.

By the 1840s and 1850s, the temperance movement became more radical, with the emergence of teetotalism, which promoted complete abstinence from all alcoholic beverages. This shift was driven by rising social problems in urban areas and the growing influence of evangelical Protestantism. The movement also became more closely tied to the abolitionist movement, with temperance societies forming in the South to advocate for both causes.

The temperance movement continued to grow and gain influence in the late 19th century, with the formation of organisations like the Anti-Saloon League in 1893. By 1900, it was estimated that one in ten Americans had signed a pledge to abstain from drinking alcohol. The movement was particularly successful in gaining support from women, who saw alcohol as a destructive force in families and marriages.

The temperance movement played a significant role in the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment, which established Prohibition in the US from 1920 to 1933. However, the movement began to wane in the 1930s, as Prohibition was criticised for encouraging criminal activity and having negative economic impacts.

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