Prohibition Dbq

The period between 1920 and 1933 primarily known as the Prohibition Era featured a ban on the sale, production, importation, and transportation of alcohol. The social and political atmosphere during World War I allowed for the growth and spread of the temperance movement. The passage of the 16th Amendment in 1913, which replaced alcohol taxes with an income tax, leaving no economic incentive for the government to support any pro-wet legislation. In addition, passage of the Sheppard Act in 1916, which banned alcohol in Washington D.C. established a platform for the Anti-Saloon League to develop. The rise of the Anti-Saloon League during World War I helped raise hysteria surrounding German-Americans and alcohol. The Anti-Saloon League’s effective
use of propaganda labeled Germans as anti-Americans whose goal was to corrupt Americans. The anti-German sentiment during World War I resulted in patriotism becoming directly associated with Prohibition, aiding in the passage of the 18th amendment. After World War I, America developed a new culture fixated upon materialism and indulgence. This drastic shift from Victorian values left many middle-class Victorians uncertain of their beliefs which resulted in a tremendous backlash in America. This backlash appeared in many forms such as the temperance movement, Eugenics, and an increasingly nativist society. Immigrants, specifically Germans who typically ran breweries, became associated with immoral behavior as a result of alcohol consumption. Victorians argued that less alcohol consumption would decrease the amount of crime, domestic abuse, and raise the overall mortality in America.
However, with the passage of the 18th Amendment in 1920 America witnessed an increase in crime and decrease mortality in America. The emergence of social groups such as the New Women, American youth, and intellectuals resulted in mass protests of these new laws. In addition, the Great Depression crippled the American economy, creating the need for more industry. The combination of weak political support, rebellious social groups, and disastrous economic effects resulted in the repealing of the 18th amendment in only 13 years.
The lack of funding and enforcement the 18th Amendment received as a result of ineffective laws and corrupt government agents contributed a vital role in Prohibition’s decline. Because the 18th Amendment was ratified before the Volstead Act was drafted, which established a Prohibition Bureau within the Treasury Department, many politicians were uncertain what precisely Prohibition entailed. The Volstead Act mandated enforcement through federal laws and agencies as well as by state and local laws and agencies.
Many officials were left unsatisfied with the too tight or too loose restrictions the Volstead Act established. The extensive disappointment within the government resulted in the Prohibition Bureau to become under-budgeted and fundamentally ineffective. In regions where the majority of the residents did not desire Prohibition, the laws permitted wine and beer. In addition, many of the laws the Bureau enacted only aimed to prohibit the manufacture and sale of alcohol but not the consumption of it. The ineffectiveness of the Bureau and inadequate enforcement of Prohibition laws culminated in an increase in crime across America. The New York Commissioner of Police reported that “there were 32,000 of all classes in that city… [that] operated by paying off the Prohibition agents, the local cops, and the mob,…” Instead of limiting crime in America, Prohibition culminated in the normalization of crime. It intensified the already prevalent organized crime scene and further corrupted the political system. Prohibition’s failure to achieve one of the vital goals of its movement only further discredited it in the minds Americans. In addition, the wavering political sponsorship produced the growth of widespread defiance to Prohibition laws. A New York Times article published in 1928 described President Harding as a “staunch public advocate of Prohibition” but a “social drinker in private” This hypocritical behavior set the tone for citizens across the United States, characterizing the attitude many Americans felt at the time. If the president himself couldn’t abide to the own laws he established what hope remained for the rest of the country. Talks of repealing the 18th Amendment began with the election of 1928 when presidential candidate Al Smith publicly opposed Prohibition. By the election of 1932 Roosevelt’s promise to end Prohibition earned him major support in the public and ultimately led to his victory. Without devoted advocates in government Prohibition stood no chance against the growing cries for repayment. Ineffective lawmakers, corrupt government officials, and indifferent politicians all contributed to the unsuccessful management of Prohibition. With no substantial government enforcement, bootleggers made their fortunes and politicians took their cuts ultimately leading to the termination of Prohibition.
Lacking the political support needed to bolster Prohibition in American culture, it looked to the residents to provide the passion necessary to keep the movement afloat.
However, the emergence of social groups, including the New Women, American youth, African-Americans, and intellectuals resulted in a widespread rejection of traditional Victorian values. During World War I, women and African-Americans gained a new independence, opening a plethora of opportunities both socially and financially. The New Women that developed from this new freedom rejected to conform to the traditional Victorian woman. Instead more women went to college and held careers which were previously considered to be exclusively for men. While African-Americans migrated to the North, concentrating in small pockets if the city. This concentration of African-Americans allowed for the birth of the Harlem Renaissance, which emphasized emotion and spontaneity. These new values helped undercut Victorian ideals and established the precedent for a more liberal America. After World War I America developed a new culture that praised indulgence rather than restraint. The birth of the Jazz Age and popularization of the automobile enabled young adults to explore all that the city had to offer. The growth of speakeasies, which replaced traditional saloons during Prohibition, provided the alcohol and entertainment craved during the 20’s. The rise of social drinking by women and youth resulted in the “normalization of
drinking” in the American society. The dramatic shift from private to public drinking reflects the growing conscious disobedience of Prohibition by American youth. In addition the growing college population resulted in a dramatic shift in American culture from faith in rationality. Because Prohibition was primarily motivated by religious organizations, the rise of pragmatic thinkers in America contributed to the decline of the movement. Intellectuals adopted Nihilism which preached the rejection of religious and moral principles. These intellectuals, known as the Lost Generation, produced novels, films, and articles that altered the media’s perception of alcohol. The depiction of alcohol in films and novels further encouraged public disobedience to Prohibition. The intense social radicalism during Prohibition created a communal consensus opposed to Prohibition culminating in its inevitable decline.
The unintended economic consequences as a result of Prohibition further assured the American population that repayment was necessary for the survival of the country. Prohibition’s negative effects on the economy and the emergence of the Great Depression shifted the American public’s focus from indulgence to economic recovery. The destruction of the liquor industry had crippling effects on both the American public and government. The closure of breweries, saloons, and distilleries all contributed to the termination of thousands of jobs, leaving many Americans unemployed. The growing unemployment rate in America turned many against Prohibition, seeking government aid to relieve their economic struggles. However, Prohibition had an even greater effect on the government than the American working class. Before Prohibition the government made 365 million dollars in federal tax revenues from distilled spirits, but by 1929 that number dropped to less than 13 million dollars. This depletion of federal income made it difficult for the government to enforce Prohibition while maintaining other federal services. In addition, the increase of crime as a result of Prohibition required larger funding to be allotted to prisons and law enforcement further increasing federal expenses. With the onset of the Great Depression the desperation to repeal Prohibition only became greater. By 1932 voters focused on creating more jobs and increasing government revenue by legalizing the liquor industry. With the crippling economic consequences Prohibition presented it was both impractical and unviable to continue this policy.