Module 4: Prohibition

Prohibition

Prohibition, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The movement toward Prohibition was rooted in the temperance movement, which had gained momentum in the 19th century. Temperance advocates argued that alcohol was responsible for social problems like domestic violence, poverty, and crime, and believed that its prohibition would lead to a more moral and productive society. In 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment was ratified, officially banning alcohol, and the Volstead Act was passed to define and enforce the ban. While it was hailed by many Protestant groups as a victory for moral values, Prohibition created deep divisions within American society, particularly between different religious and ethnic communities.

The passage of Prohibition was met with strong opposition from certain groups, particularly Catholics, German Lutherans, and immigrant communities. These groups often viewed alcohol as an important part of their cultural and social practices. For instance, many Catholic immigrants from Europe had long traditions of wine consumption during religious ceremonies, while German immigrants were known for their beer-drinking culture. These communities resisted the temperance movement, arguing that it imposed Protestant moral values on a diverse and pluralistic society. As Prohibition took effect, underground drinking establishments known as speakeasies flourished, and bootleggers—criminals who illegally produced and sold alcohol—became increasingly active, supplying a growing demand for alcohol in defiance of the law.

Rather than eliminating alcohol consumption, Prohibition led to a surge in organized crime, as bootleggers and gangsters like Al Capone profited immensely from the illegal alcohol trade. The lack of legal regulation made the production and sale of alcohol dangerous, leading to the rise of unregulated, often toxic, alcohol. The widespread disregard for the law highlighted the tension between the ideals of the temperance movement and the reality of cultural diversity in the U.S. By the end of the 1920s, the failure of Prohibition to curb alcohol consumption and the associated rise in crime became increasingly clear. This contributed to growing public disillusionment, and in 1933, the Twenty-first Amendment repealed the Eighteenth, ending Prohibition. The experiment was considered a failure, as it highlighted the challenges of legislating morality in a diverse society.