History of Prohibition
Prohibition in the United States was a measure created to reduce drinking by eliminating the businesses that manufactured, distributed, and sold alcoholic
beverages. Prohibition was added to the US Constitution January 16, 1920 as the the eighteenth amendment. It took away license to do business from the brewers, distillers, vintners, and the wholesale and retail sellers of alcoholic beverages. The leaders of the prohibition movement were alarmed at the drinking behavior of Americans. They were concerned that there was a culture of drink among some sectors of the population due to the continuous immigration from Europe, and it was spreading.
The prohibition movement's strength grew, especially after the formation of the Anti-Saloon League in 1893. The League, and other organizations that supported prohibition such as the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, soon began to succeed in enacting local prohibition laws. Eventually the prohibition campaign was a national effort.
During this time, the brewing industry was the most prosperous of the beverage alcohol industries. Americans called retail businesses selling beer and whiskey by the glass saloons. To expand the sale of their products, brewers expanded the number of saloons. Saloons rapidly increased. It was not uncommon to find one saloon for every 150 or 200 Americans, including those who did not drink. Hard-pressed to earn profits, saloonkeepers sometimes tried to entice customers by having attractions added such as gambling and prostitution in an attempt to earn profits. Many Americans considered saloons offensive, obnoxious institutions.
beverages. Prohibition was added to the US Constitution January 16, 1920 as the the eighteenth amendment. It took away license to do business from the brewers, distillers, vintners, and the wholesale and retail sellers of alcoholic beverages. The leaders of the prohibition movement were alarmed at the drinking behavior of Americans. They were concerned that there was a culture of drink among some sectors of the population due to the continuous immigration from Europe, and it was spreading.
The prohibition movement's strength grew, especially after the formation of the Anti-Saloon League in 1893. The League, and other organizations that supported prohibition such as the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, soon began to succeed in enacting local prohibition laws. Eventually the prohibition campaign was a national effort.
During this time, the brewing industry was the most prosperous of the beverage alcohol industries. Americans called retail businesses selling beer and whiskey by the glass saloons. To expand the sale of their products, brewers expanded the number of saloons. Saloons rapidly increased. It was not uncommon to find one saloon for every 150 or 200 Americans, including those who did not drink. Hard-pressed to earn profits, saloonkeepers sometimes tried to entice customers by having attractions added such as gambling and prostitution in an attempt to earn profits. Many Americans considered saloons offensive, obnoxious institutions.
Prohibition Downfall
To enforce prohibition congress passed the Volstead Act on October 28, 1919, over President Woodrow Wilson's veto. The Volstead Act provided for the
enforcement of Prohibition, including the creation of a special Prohibition unit. In its first six months, the unit destroyed thousands of illicit stills run by bootleggers. However, federal agents and police did little more than slow the flow of booze, and organized crime flourished in America. Large-scale bootleggers like Al Capone of Chicago built criminal empires out of illegal distribution. Federal and state governments lost billions in tax revenue. In
many urban areas, the consumption of alcohol was largely tolerated and drinkers gathered at "speakeasies," the Prohibition-era term for saloons.
Prohibition, failing fully to enforce itself and costing billions, rapidly lost support in the early 1930s. In 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was
passed and ratified, ending national Prohibition. After the repeal of the 18th Amendment, some states continued Prohibition by maintaining statewide temperance laws. Mississippi, was the last dry state and, ended Prohibition in 1966.
enforcement of Prohibition, including the creation of a special Prohibition unit. In its first six months, the unit destroyed thousands of illicit stills run by bootleggers. However, federal agents and police did little more than slow the flow of booze, and organized crime flourished in America. Large-scale bootleggers like Al Capone of Chicago built criminal empires out of illegal distribution. Federal and state governments lost billions in tax revenue. In
many urban areas, the consumption of alcohol was largely tolerated and drinkers gathered at "speakeasies," the Prohibition-era term for saloons.
Prohibition, failing fully to enforce itself and costing billions, rapidly lost support in the early 1930s. In 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was
passed and ratified, ending national Prohibition. After the repeal of the 18th Amendment, some states continued Prohibition by maintaining statewide temperance laws. Mississippi, was the last dry state and, ended Prohibition in 1966.
Prohibition Supporters
The prohibition leaders believed that once license to do business was removed from the drink businesses ("the liquor traffic"), the churches and reform
organizations would enjoy an opportunity to persuade Americans to give up drink. They believed the opportunity would occur unchallenged by the the liquor traffic which interests would be to urge more Americans to drink. Prohibition leaders believed the age of saloons was over, and would disappear from the landscape. Saloonkeepers would no longer be allowed to encourage people, including children, to drink alcohol.
The largest organizations that supported the end of prohibition were the Anti-Saloon League, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Protestant Churches, and the KKK.
organizations would enjoy an opportunity to persuade Americans to give up drink. They believed the opportunity would occur unchallenged by the the liquor traffic which interests would be to urge more Americans to drink. Prohibition leaders believed the age of saloons was over, and would disappear from the landscape. Saloonkeepers would no longer be allowed to encourage people, including children, to drink alcohol.
The largest organizations that supported the end of prohibition were the Anti-Saloon League, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Protestant Churches, and the KKK.
Anti-Saloon League
The Anti Saloon League, was founded in 1893 in Oberlin, Ohio it began as a state organization. After 1895, the League became a powerful national organization. The League was a non-partisan organization that focused on the single issue of prohibition. The League had branches across the United States to work with churches in managing resources for the prohibition fight. In 1913, the League announced its campaign to achieve national prohibition through a constitutional amendment. Allied with other temperance forces, especially the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, the League in 1916 oversaw the election of the two-thirds majorities necessary in both houses of Congress to initiate what became the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union
The National Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in November of 1874. Initial groups in Fredonia, New York and Hillsboro and Washington Court House, Ohio, after listening to a lecture by Dr. Dio Lewis, were moved to a non-violent protest against the dangers
of alcohol. Normally quiet housewives dropped to their knees in pray-ins in local saloons and demanded that the sale of liquor be stopped. In three
months the women had driven liquor out of 250 communities, and for the first time felt what could be accomplished by standing together.
of alcohol. Normally quiet housewives dropped to their knees in pray-ins in local saloons and demanded that the sale of liquor be stopped. In three
months the women had driven liquor out of 250 communities, and for the first time felt what could be accomplished by standing together.
Protestant Churches
The country's first serious anti-alcohol movement started in the 1830s and 1840s. Many abolitionists fighting to rid the country of slavery came to see
drink as an equally great evil that needed to be destroyed if America was ever to be fully cleansed. The temperance movement, started in America's
Protestant churches, they first urged moderation, then encouraged drinkers to help each other to resist temptation, and ultimately demanded that local, state, and national governments prohibit alcohol outright.
drink as an equally great evil that needed to be destroyed if America was ever to be fully cleansed. The temperance movement, started in America's
Protestant churches, they first urged moderation, then encouraged drinkers to help each other to resist temptation, and ultimately demanded that local, state, and national governments prohibit alcohol outright.
Klu Klux Klan (KKK)
The Klan's resurgence in the 1920s was aided by the national debate over prohibition. The Klan opposed bootleggers, sometimes with violence. In 1922, two hundred Klan members set fire to saloons in Union County, Arkansas. The KKK set strict guidelines that members must be Protestants due to this many agreed with Prohibition. This also led to them gaining many new members.