Prohibition And Its Effect On Society

Proponents of prohibition are quick to argue how crime technically decreased in its fourteen years before being repealed. While this is true for minor crimes of the times like mischief and vagrancy, organized crime saw a sharp increase once the Eighteenth Amendment outlawed alcoholic substances. While the Volstead Act was passed to enforce the amendment, and had an immediate amount of success, it was also attributed to an increase in the homicide rate to 10 per 100,000 population during the 1920s, a 78 percent increase over the pre-Prohibition period rate of 5.8 per 100,000.

“By 1830, the average American over 15 years old consumed nearly seven gallons of pure alcohol a year – three times as much as we drink today” (PBS, nd). The result was the temperance movement. The Temperance movement was an anti-movement that swept across the country in the 1830s and 40s. The abolitionists tried to show that drinking alcohol was a sin and that the country needed to be cleansed. They called for a prohibition of alcohol. On January 17th, 1920, an amendment to the constitution was passed that banned the making, transporting, and selling of alcohol and other intoxicating beverages.

After the civil war (1861-1865) the Woman's Christian Temperance Union was founded. They did not promote moderation or temperance but rather prohibition. Later the Prohibition party was founded in 1867, and as the name indicates it was for prohibition. The party succeeded in getting many communities and states to outlaw producing intoxicating beverages and their greatest success was in 1919.

In the beginning of the Prohibition Era, the supporters of the alcohol ban were met with a pleasing decline in arrest for drunkenness, hospitalizations related to alcohol and the fall of liver related medical problems that were caused by the consumption of alcohol. These statistics seemed to support the tireless campaigning done to prohibit alcohol. This decline in alcohol

Carrie A. Nation brought disrespect to prohibition movement bc of her violent campaign; The Anti-Saloon League formed in 1893

The Prohibition Era was a period of time when the entire nation was expected to be alcohol-free, or “dry”. In January 1919, prohibitionists achieved the ratification of the eighteenth amendment to the constitution, “forbidding the manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors.” The activists in the Temperance Movement had lobbied and pushed for this ratification for decades. Temperance activists consisted of women, church members, and employers. The main concern was centered around the idea that liquor made alcoholics and irresponsible people. The widespread support for the liquor ban was reflected in its approval by more

Women led the movement since they suffered the most from alcohol in abuse in saloons and by their husbands. Notably writer Carry A, denotes that women in saloons are “stripped of everything” (Document A). Thus women are humiliated and they are treated as if they are not equal, in the public eye. These actions somehow occur in saloons because of groups of alcoholics being abusive and controlling, making the women have no choice by intimidating them. Furthermore, women faced the fear of traveling alone in cities, because of these saloons. Thus, many believed “saloons should be refused licenses” (Document D), for the well-being of women in cities. This movement, has made women’s conditions better in America by limiting the fears they have with their husbands and with their environment. Therefore, due to this, woman are now enabled to speak against injustices against them and are now activist in a new movement. This movement is due to Prohibition, allowing feminism to gain traction and unite women for another cause. Overall women in America have finally have found their voice in national issues and

Women became very involved in the push to stop drinking. They believed it would protect

health and said that by the men going to the saloons it was a risk for

Prohibition and United States Society in 1920's Prohibition was the legal ban on the manufacture and sale of alcohol. It was introduced in 1919 and was viewed as the answer to many of America's problems. It was thought that the end of alcohol in America would spark a new and greater society in America. People believed that it would reduce crime, drunkenness, violence and that it would reduce families in poverty because the men would not go out spending all the money on 'alcohol.'

As a result of this new law, a new social problem arose. “Seldom has law been more flagrantly violated. Not only did Americans continue to manufacture, barter, and possess alcohol; they drank more of it.” Americans who supported prohibition, argued that if drinking alcohol was illegal, the public would recognize and respect the law, and in turn, would give it up. During the start of prohibition, it appeared as though it was working. But, what was really going on, was that since the transportation and production was not allowed, bootleggers had to find ways to do it without being caught. The price of beer rose, because it had to be transported in large barrels, which was more difficult. As a result, people started drinking more potent hard liquor. It took less to get drunk, therefore it was easier to transport, thus, it was cheaper. Americans would drink this potent liquor and get drunk a lot faster, for less money. As a downfall, however, the liquor had no standards. The rate of alcohol related deaths due to poisoning drastically increased from 1,064 in 1920, to 4,154 in 1925.

The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution banned the manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors. This ushered a period in the American history. This was known as Prohibition. Prohibition was difficult to force during the first decade of the 20th century. Bootlegging is the illegal production and sale of liquor. The increase of bootlegging, speakeasies, and the accompanying rise in gang violence and other crimes led to waning support for Prohibition. In 1933, the Congress had adopted a resolution. They proposed a 21st Amendment to the Constitution, which would repeal the 18th Amendment. The prohibition era came to a close by the end of that year.

“Communism is like prohibition, it is a good idea, but it won’t work.” (Will Rogers) Nothing in today’s society would be the way it is without history. There have been many triumphs and tragedies, losses and gains throughout America’s history. As for Prohibition, it is unsure as to what its purpose was. Prohibition was a law passed to make the sale of alcoholic beverages banned. However, through many years of determination to stay alive, the Prohibition Act’s fate was failure. Our leaders drove down a daring yet determined path, and after countless excruciating years of struggle, their final destination was failure.

The Consequences of Prohibition On the midnight of 28th October 1919, importing, exporting, transporting, selling and manufacturing of intoxicating liquor came to a halt in America. Possessing substances above the 0.5% alcohol limit was illegal. This was Prohibition. This Eighteenth Amendment was meant to have reduced the consumption level, consequently to have reduced death rates, poverty and principally crime, in the USA.

Prohibition created more crime because it was leading to corruption and the “cure” was worse than the original problem (Sifakis 725). The number of crimes increased during the Prohibition which caused organized crime to be very “popular”. Many criminal groups had a regular income of money through illegal actions such as drinking and selling alcohol (Organized Crime and Prohibition 1). Alcohol increased the organized crimes during Prohibition through loopholes in the 18th Amendment, speakeasies, doctor’s prescriptions, and bootlegging.