Essay about Prohibition in the USA in 1919 - 1038 Words

Prohibition in the USA in 1919 Prohibition was introduced in 1919; however it is impossible to find one simple reason for why it was introduced. It was not a new idea as the movement had already begun in 1830. By 1914 over half of Americas states were dry. At one minute past midnight on January 16th 1920 the law against the sale and transportation of alcohol in America became law; however in 1917 the law had been passed by congress due to the eighteenth amendment but was not put into action. The National Prohibition Act, or the Volstead Act, as it was called because of its author, Andrew J. Volstead, was put into effect. It laid down guidelines for the enforcement of the prohibition laws and†¦show more content†¦They said, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it was a way of keeping the Negro in his place. Also in America, life was changing fast, with the First World War over, but still fresh in peoples minds, America was on its way to recovery. Old industries like mining had declined, and new industries replaced them. The streets of America were getting increasingly violent, gangs were forming and a lot of money was being consumed by bars and saloons. Throughout the years a small number of organisations began to form, these groups blamed alcohol as the culprit for all Americas problems and had developed well organised campaigns against alcohol. These groups were predominantly Christian and White Anglo Saxon Protestants, other wise known as WASPS. It wasnt just religious groups that resented alcohol. The American Temperance Campaign was led by the Womens Christian Temperance Union and the Anti - Saloon League or ASL. The supporters of the ASL and the Womens Christian Temperance Union lived in rural, small towns of the south and mid-west of America. These people were generally middle class womens groups who were motivated to reform the working class and abolish their bad habits and drunkards. It was mostly men who got drunk, which set a bad example to their children. Often men would disappear to theShow MoreRelatedVolstead Act900 Words   |  4 PagesVolstead Act was introduced in 1919, which prohibited alcohol. Criminal gangs were already powerful but with the Prohibition they gained even more. Therefore the Volstead Act was the key factor in making organised crime organised. The Volstead Act impacted American society in many ways. Prohibition caused the growth of crime, massacres and gang related violence and corruption. The Volstead Act was passed by Congress in 1919, which enabled the enforcement of Prohibition. It banned the manufactureRead MoreThe Consequences of Prohibition Essay1493 Words   |  6 Pagesshort introduction A lot of things happened in 1920 Ââ€" USA was one of the victors in the first World War, and had a good period. Soon that was changed and USA suffered from many things, the great crash, prohibition and gang wars. 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Both presidential candidates in 1932 were wet so on 5th December 1933 Prohibition wasRead MoreEssay on America During the 1920s2694 Words   |  11 Pageslost out because they were not allowed to act in any films. Cinema roared for the actors of the films because they became famous all over the world and made a lot of money from the films. In the nineteenth century, in rural areas of the USA there was a very strong â€Å"temperance† movement. Members of the temperance movements agreed not to drink alcohol and also campaign to get others to give up alcohol. Most members of these movements were devout Christians who saw what damageRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol On Crime Rate During The Prohibition Of 19201871 Words   |  8 Pages Alcohol: The Governments Role In The Prohibition Of 1920 To 1933 ABSTRACT From 1920-33, a mandate under the 18th amendment prohibited the distribution and consumption of alcohol in the United States of America. During this period, the number of federal convicts increased by 561% as well as organized crime among mafia and gangs. This leads to questioning the extent to which government health restrictions increased crime rate during the Prohibition of 1920-1933. To assess this topic, I will