How Did Prohibition Affect The Working Class In America

Section I The Prohibition era was one of America’s most controversial and historic time periods in history. Along with the Civil Rights Movement and Women’s suffrage, prohibition played a big role in the shaping of America today though it was years ago. Historically the era is still a little fresh considering America’s timeline from establishment to now. Women for the most part had a very universal outlook on the consumption and distribution of alcohol, get rid of it. The point of this paper is to give insight of the effect of prohibition on the working class in America.
A book along with other sources helped very much to support this thesis. In “Last Call’, written and published by Daniel Okrent, the book discusses America’s vivid history
With alcohol taking a domestic toll on American households, women soon to grew to be very opposed to booze in the United States of America. Women were often abused and battered by their drunken husbands who would drink from stress of work. Men being the main ones to bring in money for the households, they were put under much stress. Drinking was for them and outlet of relief and a good pastime. Women soon began to protest against alcohol and eventually caught the attention of the government, with Woodrow Wilson as the President in time. Woodrow however vetoed the Volstead Act also known as Prohibition but his choice was later overruled by Congress. As most of the women in these acts against alcohol were white, black women had little of a voice or opinion on the matter
However, one of the only reasons that Prohibition worked at first would be because of American society’s confusion around it. In time, local bootleggers began manufacturing and illegal bars or speakeasies came into play underground. As a result of this, middle and upper class families could afford to buy and consume the higher priced alcohols. The middle and upper classes were now breaking the law. However, bootlegging was no longer the only illegal activity as gambling and prostitution also came into play. Therefore, making alcohol illegal in America did not get rid of drinking, but rather forced and pushed it underground as well as join other crimes.
Although the working class were not able to afford the higher priced alcohol or attend the underground bars and nightclubs, this did not stop them from dealing with alcohol whatsoever. Among the working class, drinking had become an activity that was commenced in the privacy of one’s home. As they were excluded from black market moonshine considering the beverage was priced too high, they were forced to create their own, bathtub gin. The working class were provoked to make the best of what they could get their hands on. Prohibition to a certain extent pushed American innovation and