What Was The Importance Of The 21st Amendment

The 21st amendment to the constitution is a repeal of the 18th amendment which criminalized the sale, manufacturing and transportation of alcoholic beverages, so in turn you cannot talk about the 21st amendment without starting with the 18th amendment. By the late 1800s, prohibition had sprung up across the United State, driven by religious groups who considered alcohol, specifically drunkenness, a threat to the nation.
By the late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state level and calling for national liquor abstinence. Several states outlawed the manufacture or sale of alcohol within their own borders. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, prohibiting the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes,” was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. On January 29, 1919, the 18th Amendment achieved the necessary three-fourths majority of state ratification. Prohibition essentially began in June of that year, but the amendment did not officially take effect until January 29, 1920. (history.com/staff)
Prohibition led to a rise in organized crime and the bootlegging of alcohol, it became an even more lucrative operation. Organized crime during prohibition lead to the rise of criminals such as, Bugsy Segal, Lucky Luciano, and of course the infamous Al Capone. Al Capone earned a staggering $60 million annually from bootleg operations and speakeasies. Such illegal operations fueled a corresponding rise in gang violence, including the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago in 1929, in which several men dressed as policemen (and believed to be have associated with Capone) shot and killed a group of men in an enemy gang