Jonah Patel
The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on January 16, 1919, prohibited the production, transport, and sale of intoxicating liquors in the country. The amendment was the result of a long-standing temperance movement, which argued that banning alcohol would reduce societal issues such as poverty and violence. However, the Eighteenth Amendment was controversial as it gave the federal government power over individual social habits, a role typically reserved for state and local governments. This amendment led to the rise of illegal alcohol production and distribution, with an increase in crime and ties to organized crime groups. Due to its unpopularity, the Eighteenth Amendment was eventually repealed by the Twenty-First Amendment on December 5, 1933, marking the end of the Prohibition Era.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Amendment | Eighteenth Amendment |
| Date proposed | December 18, 1917 |
| Date ratified | January 16, 1919 |
| Date repealed | December 5, 1933 |
| Ratified by | requisite number of states |
| Repealed by | Twenty-first Amendment |
| Effect | Prohibition of alcohol in the United States |
| Exceptions | Allowed licensed production, use, and sale of alcohol for industrial, medicinal, religious, and scientific purposes |
| Enforcement | Volstead Act |
| Supporters | Temperance movement, Anti-Saloon League, Woman's Christian Temperance Union |
| Opposition | Northern states, anti-prohibition groups |
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What You'll Learn
The Eighteenth Amendment
The amendment's implementation led to a rise in illegal alcohol production and distribution, with the emergence of speakeasies, bootlegging, and rum-running. While there was initially a decline in crimes attributed to alcohol consumption, the trend reversed as criminal organisations gained influence and engaged in bribery to avoid enforcement. The amendment also faced controversy over the inclusion of beer and wine in the prohibition, contrary to the public's understanding.
As a result of its negative impacts and growing public opposition, the Eighteenth Amendment was ultimately repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment on December 5, 1933, marking the end of the Prohibition Era. The Twenty-first Amendment recognised the authority of states to regulate or prohibit alcoholic beverages within their jurisdictions for non-protectionist purposes, such as health or safety. Mississippi was the last state to lift its Prohibition-era laws in 1966.
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Prohibition of alcohol
The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which was proposed by Congress on December 18, 1917, and ratified by the requisite number of states on January 16, 1919, established the prohibition of alcohol in the country. The amendment was the result of decades of efforts by temperance movements, such as the Anti-Saloon League (ASL) and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, which argued that banning alcohol would eliminate poverty and improve social conditions. While the Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the production, transportation, and sale of "intoxicating liquors", it did not outlaw alcohol consumption or possession of legally acquired beverages.
The immediate aftermath of the amendment's passage saw a decline in crimes attributed to alcohol consumption, but this positive trend was short-lived. As demand for alcohol persisted, illegal alcohol production and distribution networks emerged, leading to an overall increase in crime. The amendment's enforcement proved challenging, with prisons becoming overcrowded and gangs gaining influence through their control of the illicit alcohol trade.
Public sentiment towards Prohibition began to shift during the 1920s, with many Americans continuing to drink and an underground market flourishing. By the 1930s, public opinion had turned decisively against Prohibition, with groups actively working for its repeal. The amendment's enforcement techniques were often harsh, and the rise in illegal liquor trafficking led to widespread defiance of the law. Additionally, the need for tax revenue during the Great Depression further highlighted the impracticality of Prohibition.
On December 5, 1933, the Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, repealing the Eighteenth Amendment and ending Prohibition. This amendment recognised the authority of states to regulate or prohibit alcoholic beverages within their jurisdictions for non-protectionist reasons, such as health or safety. Mississippi was the last state to lift all its Prohibition-era laws in 1966, while Kansas lifted its ban on public bars in 1987.
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Temperance movement
The temperance movement is a social movement that promotes moderation and, often, total abstinence from alcohol. Leaders of the movement emphasize the negative effects of alcohol on health, personalities, and family life. The movement typically promotes alcohol education and calls for new laws against the sale of alcohol, either through regulation or prohibition.
The roots of the movement can be traced back to the early 1800s, with the earliest temperance organizations founded in Saratoga, New York, in 1808, and in Massachusetts in 1813. In 1810, Calvinist ministers met in Massachusetts to write articles about abstinence from alcohol to use in preaching to their congregations. The Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of Intemperance (MSSI) was formed in 1813 and accepted only men of high social standing. The MSSI encouraged moderation in alcohol consumption and disbanded in 1820, having made little impact on the future of the movement.
The temperance movement in the United States began at a national level in the 1820s, popularized by evangelical reformers and among the middle classes. The movement spread to eight states, advocating temperance rather than abstinence and taking positions on religious issues such as the observance of the Sabbath. The Connecticut-born minister Lyman Beecher published a book in 1826 called "Six Sermons on...Intemperance", in which he described inebriation as a "national sin" and suggested legislation to prohibit the sale of alcohol.
The movement gained momentum in the mid-19th century, with the formation of the Ulster Temperance Society in Ireland in 1829, and the Order of Good Templars in New York in 1851. The Church of England Temperance Society was founded in 1862 and the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union in 1874. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the movement had become prominent in many countries, particularly English-speaking, Scandinavian, and majority Protestant ones, leading to national prohibitions in several countries.
In the United States, the Anti-Saloon League (ASL) began a campaign in 1906 to ban the sale of alcohol at the state level. Their advertisements and public demonstrations claimed that prohibition would eliminate poverty and improve social problems. The Eighteenth Amendment, proposed by Congress in 1917 and ratified in 1919, established the prohibition of alcohol in the United States. The amendment was the result of decades of efforts by the temperance movement. However, the amendment was repealed in 1933 due to increasing crime and public sentiment turning against prohibition.
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Volstead Act
The Volstead Act, also known as the National Prohibition Act, was a law enacted in 1919 (and taking effect in 1920) to enforce the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which established the prohibition of alcohol. The Act was named after Minnesota Rep. Andrew Volstead, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who championed the bill.
The Eighteenth Amendment was the result of decades of efforts by the temperance movement, which argued that banning alcohol would eliminate poverty and improve societal issues such as immoral sexual behaviour and violence. The Anti-Saloon League, formed in 1893, became a powerful force in passing a national ban on alcoholic beverages. The League used the after-effects of World War I to push for prohibition, claiming that drinking was pro-German.
The Volstead Act itself had three main sections: previously enacted war prohibition, prohibition as designated by the Eighteenth Amendment, and industrial alcohol use. The Act prohibited the manufacture, production, and sale of intoxicating beverages, but it did not outlaw the consumption of alcohol. There were also exceptions for alcohol used for medical purposes and for religious sacraments.
Despite the Volstead Act, many people found ways to evade prohibition agents, and neither federal nor local authorities committed the necessary resources to enforce the law. An underground market for alcohol formed, and organised crime increased, with groups such as the Chicago Outfit led by Al Capone gaining influence. By the 1930s, public sentiment had turned against prohibition, and the Eighteenth Amendment was repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment on December 5, 1933.
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Twenty-first Amendment
The Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution, also known as the "Repeal of Prohibition", was proposed by the 72nd Congress on February 20, 1933, and ratified by the requisite number of states on December 5, 1933. It repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, which had imposed a nationwide prohibition on alcohol.
The Eighteenth Amendment was the result of decades of effort by the temperance movement, which argued that banning alcohol would eliminate poverty and ameliorate social problems such as immoral sexual behaviour and violence. The Anti-Saloon League, for instance, claimed that prohibition would inspire new forms of sociability, create happier families, reduce workplace accidents, and improve the world. The Eighteenth Amendment was ratified on January 16, 1919, and the subsequent enactment of the Volstead Act established federal enforcement of the nationwide prohibition on alcohol.
However, as many Americans continued to drink despite the amendment, prohibition gave rise to a profitable black market for alcohol, fuelling the rise of organised crime. By the 1930s, overall public sentiment towards prohibition had flipped from positive to negative, and Congress was compelled to act. The Twenty-first Amendment is unique among the 27 amendments of the U.S. Constitution for being the only one to repeal a prior amendment, as well as being the only amendment to have been ratified by state ratifying conventions.
Section 1 of the Twenty-first Amendment expressly repeals the Eighteenth Amendment, while Section 2 bans the importation of alcohol into states and territories that have laws prohibiting the importation or consumption of alcohol. Several states continued to be "dry states" in the years after the repealing of the Eighteenth Amendment, and some continue to closely regulate the distribution of alcohol today. Many states delegate their power to ban the importation of alcohol to counties and municipalities, and there are numerous dry communities throughout the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution established the prohibition of alcohol in the country.
The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the production, transport, and sale of intoxicating liquors. It did not, however, outlaw the consumption of alcohol.
The Eighteenth Amendment was proposed by Congress on December 18, 1917, and ratified by the requisite number of states on January 16, 1919.
The Eighteenth Amendment was the result of decades of efforts by temperance movements, such as the Anti-Saloon League and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, which argued that banning alcohol would eliminate poverty and improve societal issues.
