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The Impacts of the National Prohibition Act of 1919

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The National Prohibition Act of 1919 was the law that actually prohibited the purchase and consumption of alcohol. While the eighteenth amendment banned the transportation, sale, and manufacture of alcohol within the boundaries of the United States, the National Prohibition Act of 1919, also known as Volstead Act, actually started prohibition. The cause of prohibition was caused by the Temperance movement which tried to encourage people to not abuse alcohol. Many of the Temperance movement supporters initially believed that alcohol consumption in moderation was fine, but after many years of alcohol abuse, this group of supporters changed their focus from moderation, to the ban of alcohol. There were many Temperance organizations throughout many states which successfully banned alcohol in half of the states which sparked the government to pass the eighteenth amendment. The National Prohibition Act of 1919 is a government document because it was signed into law in 1919. The author of this Act was Wayne Wheeler, but the act is also called the Volstead Act as Congressman Andrew J. Volstead sponsored this legislation. This act was created in 1919 as its main purpose was to clarify the eighteenth amendment and set certain constraints. The Volstead Act stated that any beverage that had more than a .5 percent alcohol by volume was illegal. The Volstead Act also set the fines and jail sentences for violating Prohibition. The Volstead Act still had its loopholes as any
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