Isabella Carter
The Eighteenth Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol, was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1917 and ratified in 1919. It was the result of a growing temperance movement that advocated for moderation or complete abstinence from alcohol consumption, with organizations like the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and the Catholic Total Abstinence Union of America campaigning primarily on religious grounds. To enforce the Eighteenth Amendment, Congress passed the National Prohibition Act, also known as the Volstead Act, on October 28, 1919. However, the act was not effectively enforced, and it led to a surge in illegal alcohol manufacturing and organized crime. The Eighteenth Amendment was eventually repealed and overridden by the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933, marking the end of the Prohibition Era.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amendment Number | Eighteenth Amendment |
| Year Proposed | 1917 |
| Year Ratified | 1919 |
| Year Repealed | 1933 |
| Amendment Nickname | Volstead Act |
| Amendment Author | Wayne Wheeler |
| Amendment Sponsor | Andrew Volstead |
| Number of States that Ratified | 36 |
| Number of States that Opted Out of Ratification | 2 |
| Number of Federal Prohibition Agents | 1,520 |
| Year Prohibition Started | 1920 |
| Year Public Sentiment Changed | 1930s |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Eighteenth Amendment
The amendment's language called for Congress to pass enforcement legislation, which took the form of the National Prohibition Act, commonly known as the Volstead Act. This act defined the types of alcoholic beverages that were prohibited and authorized alcohol for scientific, religious, and industrial purposes. While it was intended to curb alcohol consumption and its associated social ills, the amendment had unintended consequences. An underground market for alcohol emerged, leading to the rise of illegal alcohol production and organized crime syndicates, such as the Chicago Outfit led by Al Capone.
By the late 1920s, opposition to Prohibition grew as it was seen as imposing "rural" Protestant religious values on "urban" America and reducing tax revenue during the Great Depression. The negative public perception of the amendment, along with the increasing influence of criminal organizations, led to its repeal in 1933 through the Twenty-first Amendment. The Eighteenth Amendment remains the only Constitutional amendment to have been fully repealed and serves as a significant moment in American history due to the unique collection of political, social, and industrial movements it engendered.
Amendments in Ohio's Constitution: Where Are They?
You may want to see also
The Volstead Act
The Eighteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which established a nationwide prohibition on alcohol, was ratified on January 1919. The National Prohibition Act, or the Volstead Act, was passed on October 28, 1919, to enforce this amendment. The act was named after Minnesota Rep. Andrew Volstead, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who championed the bill and prohibition.
Not all alcohol was banned under the Volstead Act. Alcohol for religious, medical, and industrial purposes was allowed. For example, pastors, priests, ministers, and rabbis could acquire a permit to provide alcohol for sacramental purposes. Physicians were allowed to prescribe their patients one pint of spirits every ten days.
The Eighteenth Amendment was eventually repealed and overridden by the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933, ending Prohibition nationwide. However, some states continued to enforce prohibition laws after the repeal. Mississippi was the last state to lift all its Prohibition-era laws in 1966, and Kansas lifted its ban on public bars in 1987.
How Did We Start Electing the President by Popular Vote?
You may want to see also
The temperance movement
In the US, the temperance movement began at a national level in the 1820s, popularized by evangelical reformers and the middle classes. It focused on advising against hard spirits and moral reform rather than complete abstinence and legal measures. The Second Great Awakening, an evangelical Protestant religious revival of the 1820s and 1830s, further fueled the movement, bringing with it optimism about moral reform and perfect society. The movement also had an earlier presence during the American Revolution in Connecticut, Virginia, and New York, where farmers formed associations to ban whiskey distilling.
The movement's influence led to national prohibitions in several countries, including Canada, Norway, Finland, and the United States. In the US, the movement's efforts culminated in the Eighteenth Amendment, which imposed a nationwide prohibition on alcohol in 1920. However, the amendment was controversial and ultimately repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933, marking the end of the Prohibition Era.
The Fourth Amendment: A Constitutional Cornerstone
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Nativism
The Eighteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which enabled the National Prohibition Act, was the product of a powerful political coalition comprising racists, progressives, suffragists, populists, and nativists. Nativism, in the context of American politics, refers to the intense opposition to an internal minority that is viewed as a threat to the nation due to its differing values and priorities. Nativists during this period subscribed to the doctrine that America's success stemmed from its white Anglo-Saxon ancestry, fostering distrust of immigrant communities that embraced drinking as part of their popular culture. This included German-Americans and more recent immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, who were often associated with saloons and alcohol consumption.
The Know Nothing party, a mid-19th-century political group, exemplifies early nativist sentiments in the United States. They considered Catholic immigration from countries like Germany and Ireland as a severe threat to native-born Protestant Americans. This fear of cultural erosion and the perceived link between immigration and a decline in traditional values persisted, influencing the political climate that led to the Eighteenth Amendment.
The coalition supporting the Eighteenth Amendment was driven by a range of ideologies, including racism, progressivism, and populism. Nativism, as part of this coalition, contributed to the negative perception of alcohol by associating it with immigrants and racial minorities. Nativists believed that restricting alcohol consumption would make the United States less attractive to these "undesirable" groups, thereby preserving their vision of America's cultural and ethnic purity.
However, the implementation of Prohibition had unintended consequences. It led to a surge in illegal alcohol manufacturing and the rise of powerful criminal organizations, such as Al Capone's Chicago Outfit. By the 1930s, public sentiment had shifted, and the Eighteenth Amendment was ultimately repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933. While nativism played a role in the passage of Prohibition, the policy's failure to achieve its intended goals and the emergence of organized crime contributed to its eventual repeal.
Arizona Constitution: Fourth Amendment Location
You may want to see also
The Twenty-first Amendment
The Eighteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol, was ratified on January 16, 1919. The National Prohibition Act, also known as the Volstead Act, was passed on October 28, 1919, to enforce the Eighteenth Amendment.
However, the Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act were not effectively enforced. The rise of bootlegging, speakeasies, and illegal distilling operations led to the growth of organised crime and large-scale criminal syndicates. By the 1930s, public sentiment towards prohibition had turned negative, and Congress was compelled to act. On February 20, 1933, Congress proposed a new amendment to end prohibition.
While the Twenty-first Amendment ended nationwide Prohibition, some states continued to enforce prohibition-era laws for decades. Mississippi was the last state to lift all its Prohibition-era laws in 1966, while Kansas lifted its ban on public bars in 1987.
In the decades since the Twenty-first Amendment, a series of Supreme Court decisions have been made regarding the regulation of alcoholic beverages, advertising, and pricing. The Twenty-first Amendment has had a significant impact on shaping alcohol-related policies in the United States.
Amendments: Our Constitution's Living Legacy
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Eighteenth Amendment.
The Eighteenth Amendment banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol across the country.
The Eighteenth Amendment was passed on January 16, 1919, when it was ratified by 36 states.
The National Prohibition Act, otherwise known as the Volstead Act, was the enabling legislation that enforced the Eighteenth Amendment.
The Eighteenth Amendment was repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment on December 5, 1933.
