The 18th amendment to the Constitution -passed by Congress in 1917, and ratified by of the states by 1919– prohibited the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages within the boundaries of the United States. The Volstead Act of 1919, also known as the National Prohibition Enforcement Act, which was mandating “No person shall manufacture, sell, barter, transport, import, export, deliver, furnish or posses intoxicating liquor except as authorized in this act.” It clearly defined an alcoholic beverage as one with an alcoholic content greater than 0.5 percent. The necessary 36 states ratified the amendment on January 16th of the same year. Allowing for the years adjustment, America went “dry” at the stroke of midnight, the morning of January 17th. The Prohibition Era began January 16th, 1920, when the United States ratified the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol. The good intention ideals of the Prohibition Era led to several ill effects including unbearable hypocrisy within the American society, corruption on all levels of government, and an astounding death toll, which was a result of the alarming crime rate.
Prohibition in the United States was a measure designed to reduce drinking by eliminating the businesses that manufactured, distributed, and sold alcoholic beverages. The best evidence available to historians shows that consumption of beverage alcohol declined dramatically under prohibition. In the 1920s consumption of beverage alcohol was about thirty percent of the pre-prohibition level. Consumption grew somewhat in the last years of prohibition, as illegal supplies of liquor increased and as a new generation of Americans disregarded the law and rejected the attitude of self-sacrifice that was part of the bedrock of the prohibition movement. Nevertheless, it was a long time after repeal before consumption rates to their pre-prohibition levels. In that sense, prohibition “worked.” When Congress voted to pass the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, America became a country where buying or selling liquor could put you in jail. Organized crime grew as it took control of distributing illegal liquor and crime figures like Al Capone were in the papers. Smuggling on a large scale could not be prevented, and the illicit manufacture of liquor sprang up with such rapidity that authorities were unable to suppress it.
The Essay on Mob Involvement With Prohibition
In 1917 Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution which prohibited the export, import, manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States. This new law is believed to have had the greatest effect on the twenties creating a feeling of rebellion and wild behavior. Many people thought this law violated there right to live by their own standards and ...
There followed a period of unparalleled illegal drinking (Often of inferior and dangerous beverages) and lawbreaking. There were dozens of saloons underground mostly since most saloons could not get much liquor they made it themselves and served it. When women were in outside during the day, they would wear a floppy overcoat which in fact would hide two tins of booze strapped to their legs (Yet not all women did this).
Also, before skirts climbed to the knee, a lady would keep a flask in her garter. Russian boots suddenly became stylish because it had enough room to sneak in a little bottle of liquor. A hollow cane was also used in the streets because it was easy to unplug at the table.
Then in the spring of 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt made a “real beer” exempt from the 18th amendment. By December of the same year, Utah has last necessary state to ratify the 21st amendment – repeal of prohibition – and on December 5th, alcohol was legal once more. At the completion of the delegates’ voting, the national count in favor of repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment was 73 percent.
The Essay on The Flag Amendment
... the Constitution purposely made it hard to put through an amendment for certain rational reasons. After reading several current issues on ... government. As stated by the U.S. Constitution in the first amendment, Congress shall make no lawabridging the freedom of speechand ... redress of grievances. If the United States Congress approves an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that will allow Congress to ...
