Prohibition

What was Prohibition?

In 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment made it illegal to make, sell or transport alcohol. This became known as Prohibition.

Why was Prohibition introduced?

Since the 19th century, there had been a movement campaigning for a ban on alcohol.

• ❖ The Women's Christian Temperance Movement was set up in 1873 and the Anti-Saloon League in 1893. They used peaceful methods to campaign against alcohol.
• ❖ They argued that it caused social problems such as unemployment, poverty and family breakdown.
• ❖ They suggested that it was bad for the economy because it meant that workers were less able.
• ❖ Religious groups claimed that drinking led to sin.
• ❖ It caused problems during the war because grain was needed for bread, not beer, and workers needed to be efficient. Later in the war, it was seen as unpatriotic because beer was traditionally German.
• ❖ Some historians have suggested that Prohibition was really about WASPs suppressing the habits and culture of newer immigrants.

What were the benefits of Prohibition?

Prohibition had some benefits.

• ❖ It was relatively popular. A surprisingly large percentage - 40% - of Americans supported it.
• ❖ It led to a reduction in alcohol consumption.
• ❖ The health of some Americans improved, and incidences of illness such as liver disease dropped.
• ❖ Some Prohibition agents were very effective at seizing alcohol and enforcing the law. Moe Smith and Izzy Einstein were well known for this reason.

What were the economic effects of Prohibition?

Prohibition caused a number of economic problems.

• ❖ The government lost income from the tax on alcohol.
• ❖ Farmers had less of a market for crops used to make alcohol, such as apples, grapes, barley and hops.
• ❖ Breweries and saloons were closed down.
• ❖ Thousands of Americans lost their jobs, and had less money to spend on goods and services.

What problems did Prohibition cause for the police?

Prohibition caused massive problems in law enforcement. It became very difficult to make sure that people followed the law, and to stop the ones who broke it.

• ❖ Five states refused to enforce Prohibition.
• ❖ The Treasury Department only gave $2 million to enforce Prohibition across the whole country. This was not enough.
• ❖ Prohibition agents were poorly paid, which made them vulnerable to corruption and bribes.
• ❖ American juries refused to convict people who broke Prohibition laws.
• ❖ Many people disagreed with Prohibition and so were prepared to become law-breakers.

What crimes did Prohibition cause?

Prohibition made it illegal to make, transport and sell alcohol, but many people were prepared to break these laws.

• ❖ People who made alcohol illegally were known as moonshiners, and the drinks they made were given names such as moonshine and bathtub gin. These were sometimes poisonous, causing serious illness, blindness and even death.
• ❖ People who transported and smuggled alcohol were known as bootleggers, because they would sometimes hide bottles of alcohol down their trouser leg. Some bootleggers smuggled millions of dollars worth of alcohol.
• ❖ People who sold alcohol illegally did so in secret drinking dens called 'speakeasies'.

How did Prohibition lead to the rise of gangs?

Prohibition provided lots of opportunities for criminals to gain power and wealth, particularly in large cities such as New York and Chicago. They often worked together in large groups called gangs and were known as 'gangsters'.

What crimes did Prohibition lead to?

With so much power and influence gangs were able to operate on a large scale. They committed more crimes as they grew to protect their empires.

• ❖ They used violence against rival gangs to protect their business.
• ❖ They controlled some politicians.
• ❖ They ran gambling dens and brothels.
• ❖ They ran protection rackets, taking money from businesses to 'prevent' damage to their property.
• ❖ They operated as loan sharks.
• ❖ They bribed Prohibition agents and policemen.
• ❖ They recruited ordinary citizens to help them make and transport alcohol.

What were the effects of Prohibition?

By the 1930s, Prohibition had some unexpected results.

• ❖ By 1929, alcohol consumption was back to 70% of its 1914 level, despite being illegal to make, sell or transport.
• ❖ The Association Against the Prohibition Amendment was formed to bring an end to Prohibition.
• ❖ In 1933, the ban on alcohol was lifted and it could be legally sold again.