Deliver Us from Evil: an Interpretation of American Prohibition

On December 16, 1919, however, prohibition became the law of the land in the passing of the 18th Amendment which stated "...the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors ... for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited." (Constitution). This created a mixed bag of reactions by the citizenry.

One law to banning alcohol made our country go crazy, and it almost made our country thrive to want to drink more alcohol. There were so many violators of the law and it didn’t end so well either. Many people ended up in jail, but not enough with how much smuggling that happened. Prohibition allowed the crime rate to go up and more bad things happened to our country. These days we still have alcohol, but the crime rates are higher than they have ever been. One day it is our country’s hope that our country will be united and we won’t get a repeat of the past

During the 1920’s there was an experiment in the U.S. “The Prohibition”, this experiment, made by the government, was written as the 18th amendment. The prohibition led to the bootlegging, increase in crimes, and gang wars.

This paper discusses one of the most significant events of the 1920s and 1930s that still affects life to this day, the prohibition. Throughout the modern American, who may be interested in the prohibition and why organized crime was so powerful, discover just that as well as why the prohibition was implemented, who had the most influence, how people viewed one another at the time, and the factors that lead to the prohibitions lack of success. It was a time of struggle between law enforcement, organized crime and the citizens caught in-between. Overall the main question the collective research intends to answer is “who held all the power, the police, organized crime, or the citizens and how did that shape the prohibition?” The answer to the question will be discovered through research and facts. Topics such as motivations behind the prohibition, police efficacy, citizen involvement, organized crime, the morals of America, and multiple views on the prohibition will be covered in hopes to fully understand what the prohibition was and the roles specific groups had in the outcome.

Thesis: Though the primary purpose of the Prohibition was to prevent harmful effects caused by alcohol and improve the condition of society, many unexpected adverse effects followed. Thus, when the nation legislates the law which regulates something addictive or harmful, it is necessary to be cautious and examine it carefully before executing it, for the situation can get worse and turn into catastrophe.

Between 1900 and 1913 more Americans began to drink more and more alcohol with the production of beer jumping from 1.2 million to 2 billion gallons; three times more alcohol than the average American drinks now.1 Prohibition was a movement sparked by women since women thought they were the ones who suffered the most from the cause of alcohol and women though that alcohol was a threat to a happy family. Women wanted to pass prohibition because many men would go to saloons and go home and be abusive towards their wives and children. Women and other groups eventually got 46 of the 48 states to ratify the 18th amendment on January 16, 1919.2 The 18th amendment on article one says, "...the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited."3 The first article on the 18th amendment is saying that the sale, making, or even bringing liquor into the United States or any of the United States' territory will now be illegal. Prohibition began to show its weakness right away when the United Sates government did not show much support. After the first year of prohibition the American people started to show less support and even led to organized crime. In 1933, the United States Constitution was amended to repeal the 18th amendment in the form of the 21st amendment.4 Even

Beginning in the 1830’s, temperance movements began pushing for abstinence from alcohol. The wartime Prohibition Act was passed in 1918 in order to save grain for the war effort. A year later, the 18th amendment was ratified and went into effect on the federal level. This outlaw of alcohol gave rise to an organized network of crime, including gangsters like Al Capone and speakeasies (Kelly). The Prohibition was meant to keep people away from the negative effects of drinking (Esler, Ellis

January 1920, the opening year of the 18th Amendment that sought banning “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors” within the United States and its US territories. Many Americans relate this era with speakeasy, public law breaking, and a public disregard for the establishment of prohibition. The 18th Amendment was the first constitutional amendment that sought to limit the rights of citizens and their rights to drink. This would become an attempt that many would soon come to realize as one of the greatest failures in law enforcement in American History. For if an American wants to drink, those with the American spirit for rebellion will surly offer him one.

Especially with the brewers policing themselves and cutting down on saloons that were not selling approved types of alcohol by them, or were opened using the revenue of a saloon. Kerr acknowledges the Brewers Association for trying to get their message out in DC, because they assumed that is where the act was being voted on, but they were wrong. Individual states had been convinced of the moral, ethical and economic issues associated with the saloon and because of the Brewers Associations misguided efforts, they lose the battle against prohibition. Kerr’s finding establish a new line of thought that many people inside the Anti-Saloon league did not agree with the “legalistic, coercive approach to prohibition.” Instead many leaders including Cherrington thought that if the ASL provided outreach, reform and educational services than people would voluntarily choose not to drink. This split in ideals is what ended the Anti-Saloon League. In the end despite the illegal trafficking of alcohol, Prohibition work at the end of the day. In the high of Prohibition consumption of alcohol was lowered from one-third to

With much pressure from groups such as the, 'Anti Saloon League,' and the 'Women's Christian's Temperance Union. These two groups both helped convince congress to pass the 18th amendment, prohibition. For a

The Anti-saloon league museum is a standing testament of a period long gone. Located within the Westerville Ohio library, it houses important artifacts and memorabilia from the Prohibition era. At the height of its popularity, the league was a national organization which boasted branches across the United States.4. Along with various Christian organizations, the league was able to marshal resources that enabled it to bring the prohibition fight to congress and the senate. Tours and group presentations expose curious visitors to the inner workings of the league. Video footage taken from the height of the organizations power allows onlookers to explore the conditions that led to the ban on alcohol being enforced to such a magnitude.

The Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, declared on January 1920 at 12:01am, outlawed the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors,” (Andersen). America had become officially, dry. Although it was formed to stop drinking completely, it did not even come close. Just 6 minutes later six masked bandits with pistols emptied two freight cars full of whiskey from a rail yard in Chicago (Drink). Prohibition created a large number of bootleggers who were able to supply the public with illegal alcohol. They started the practices of organized crime that are still used today. Women, the driving factor in prohibition, believed that prohibition would make alcohol’s presence in society go away this would resolve the majority

“Prohibition did not achieve its goals. Instead, it added to the problems it was intended to solve.” On 16th January 1920, one of the most common personal habits and customs of American society came to a halt. The eighteenth amendment was implemented, making all importing, exporting, transporting, selling and manufacturing of intoxicating liquors absolutely prohibited. This law was created in the hope of achieving the reduction of alcohol consumption, which in turn would reduce: crime, poverty,

On December 31th, before the clock struck midnight, thirsty men went out and stocked up on liquor and alcohol before the Volstead act went into play. But was prohibition really necessary? Men had been coming home drunk to their wives and children; showing up to work drunk too. Men loved the pleasure that alcohol gave them and couldn’t stop even if their house or wife was on the line. Many women protested this, and got their way to ban the selling and buying of alcohol. Prohibition led to an increase of deaths and many more speakeasies and saloons popped up on the map. Therefore, America changed its mind because, nobody wanted to conform to Prohibition, deaths due to liquor skyrocketed, and it was unenforceable.

As law enforcement began to close down saloons throughout the country, following the establishment of the 18th Amendment, speakeasies came to the forefront…