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American Spirits: Essay THE RISE and FALL OF PROHIBITION OVERVIEW Beginning in 1920, the 18th Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol, but the idea of temperance in drinking began more than a century earlier. Eventually, religious groups, politicians, and social organizations advocated for total abolition of alcohol, leading to Prohibition. The 18th Amendment caused a surge in organized crime and was eventually repealed in 1933. Why did some groups want a Prohibition amendment passed? How did Prohibition fit into the progressive movement? What were its effects, and why was it eventually repealed? related activities PROHIBITION PROHIBITION ERA SMART BOARD WHO SAID IT? PICTIONARY DINNER PARTY ACTIVITY QUOTE SORTING Use your skills to get Learn about the roles Learn about Learn about the classmates to identify of historical figures Prohibition through differences between and define which during the Prohibition informational slides the Founders’ and Prohibition Era term Era by taking on their and activities using the Progressives’ beliefs you draw. identities for a dinner SMART platform. about government by party. sorting quotes from each group. Made possible in part Developed in by a major grant from partnership with TEACHER NOTES LEARNING GOALS Students will: PLEASE NOTE This resource contains background • Distinguish between temperance and essays at three levels: Prohibition. 10-12th grade (1100 words) • Understand the process for amending th the Constitution. 8-9 grade (800 words) 6-7th grade (500 words) • Compare and contrast the Founders’ views on government with those of Progressives. EXTENSION • Understand historical events leading up to and following the passage of the The 18th Amendment banned the Eighteenth and 21st Amendments. manufacture, sale, and transport of a substance. Make a list of all the government • Understand and evaluate arguments officials or agencies who can approve or offered by those in support of a ban substances citizens ingest. In practice constitutional amendment banning the today, do nationwide bans on substances sale of alcohol. require a constitutional amendment? Should they require one? Discuss the PRE-READING ACTIVITIES following questions: • Read the Eighteenth and 21st a. How do these types of prohibitions Amendments to the Constitution. compare to prohibition of alcohol? b. What effect have these bans had on • Define the terms Prohibition, individual freedom? Temperance, Progressive, Organized Crime, and Repeal on your own. c. Do similar types of crime and violence Compare your definitions with a partner. accompany nationwide prohibitions on illegal drugs? Why? d. Are these worthwhile trade-offs? Explain. 1,100 THE RISE and FALL words OF PROHIBITION he legal ban on the manufacture, sale, and THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH transport of alcohol, within the United T Temperance organizations started to realize States, otherwise known as Prohibition, began that, for temperance to become mainstream, with the ratification of the 18th Amendment the moral argument against using liquor would in 1919. The ban technically went into effect in not be enough. They began to employ what 1920. The roots of Prohibition can be traced to they claimed was a "scientific," fact-based the early 19th century temperance movement, approach. As the Progressive Era began around which was eventually fueled by the rising the turn of the twentieth century, the advocates influence of Social Gospel Protestantism of temperance supported their religious and the wider progressive movement. What arguments with various scientific reasons. began as an effort to persuade individuals to Studies found that alcohol limited motor choose to abstain from alcohol, shifted to an reaction, caused issues with nerve centers effort to use the force of law to ban its sale and controlling the heart, interfered with digestion, transport. Though perhaps noble in aim, the and worsened diseases. Organizations like legal enforcement of the ban limited personal the Women’s Christian Temperance Union freedom, gave rise to widespread lawlessness, (WCTU), under the leadership of Frances and encouraged the growth of organized crime. Willard, used the new scientific findings to their benefit. They advocated compulsory instruction RELIGION AND TEMPERANCE about temperance in public schools and wrote In the early 19th century, Protestants textbooks on the subject. including Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians took part in revivals to convert THE ANTI-SALOON LEAGUE new followers to Christ to overcome corruption Many Protestant churches joined forces with in the world. In their eyes, drinking was part the Anti-Saloon League (ASL). The ASL began of that corruption. They became advocates for as a state organization in Ohio in 1893, and in temperance, which is defined as personal self- 1895, Anti-Saloon Leagues across the country restraint or abstinence from alcohol. At this came together to form the nation’s leading time, temperance advocates were not calling for lobbying group for anti-alcohol legislation. legal prohibition of alcohol, but rather asking At their inception, they advocated not only citizens to choose to abstain from its use. for temperance, but for laws suppressing the Developed in partnership with the Bill of Rights Institute NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER PROHIBITION AND THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT Prohibition succeeded in large part when the ASL was able to apply political pressure to intimidate politicians. The ideas used to justify a nation-wide legal ban on the sale, manufacture, and transport of alcohol can be understood in the context of progressivism. Progressivism was a significant shift away from the traditional American understanding of the purpose of government to that point. The founders believed citizens could best pursue happiness if government was limited to protecting the life, liberty, and property of individuals. They believed people were naturally flawed, and structured government so that people's inherent Saloon owners were targeted by Temperance and self-interest would lead officials to check one Prohibition advocates. another's attempts to exercise more power than Photo Courtesy Library of Congress the Constitution allows. Unlike the framers of the Constitution, Progressives believed that man's rights of saloon owners to do business. By the nature can and should be bettered by enlightened early 1900s, the ASL was becoming a major rulers. Therefore, they believed, government political force. Their head lobbyist described should provide citizens with the environment their efforts: “Word went out from Washington and the means to improve themselves through and state headquarters to send letters, government-sponsored programs and policies as telegrams, and petitions to Congressmen and well as economic redistribution. Senators in Washington. They rolled in by The Progressive movement successfully tens of thousands, burying Congress like an enacted a host of constitutional changes avalanche”. The ASL's state-by-state approach which increased the power of the national was working: by 1917, 26 of the 48 states had government. The 18th Amendment banned the passed prohibition measures. Congress was also manufacture, sale, or transport of intoxicating considering a constitutional amendment for beverages and the Volstead Act codified it in nationwide prohibition of alcohol. U.S. law. The Sixteenth Amendment authorized The 18th Amendment, prohibiting the the national government to tax incomes for the “manufacture, sale, and transportation of first time ever. The Seventeenth Amendment intoxicating beverages,” was approved by provided for the direct election of U.S. Congress in December of 1917 and went into Senators, diminishing the power of the states to effect in 1920 after the required number of influence national laws in Congress. The 19th states ratified it. The amendment was the first Amendment barred states from denying female ever to limit citizens' personal liberties. citizens the right to vote in federal elections. Developed in partnership with the Bill of Rights Institute NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER TOWARDS REPEAL On December 5, 1933, the United States ratified the 21st Amendment, repealing the The 18th Amendment did not ban the 18th Amendment. This was the first time in consumption of alcohol, only its manufacture, American history a constitutional amendment sale, and transport. Many began hoarding had been repealed. The 21st Amendment alcoholic beverages during the year between affirmed the power of states to make laws ratification and the time that Prohibition went concerning the sale and transport of alcohol. into effect. Under the law, individuals were still Many states began tightly controlling liquor allowed to make wine and alcoholic cider for usage through licensing requirements, drinking home use, but moonshine could be deadly if made age limits, and specific hours of operation for incorrectly. Smugglers brought liquor into the liquor sellers. Many of these regulations are still United States at port cities around the country. in force today. Federal agents charged with enforcing the law were ill-equipped to deal with the large numbers of bootleggers and speakeasies, and courts were overloaded with Prohibition- related cases. Chicago and New York were hubs for crime bosses like Al Capone and Meyer Lansky. Gangs began fighting for power in their territories which led to corruption, destruction, and death. The Great Depression struck a major blow to the nation’s economy, and the tide had begun to turn against Prohibition.
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