Preview

Prohibition in the United States and Illegal Alcohol Essay Example

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
381 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Prohibition in the United States and Illegal Alcohol Essay Example
Prohibition

In the 1920’s America was becoming a more civilized nation, new inventions were created, new appliances, cars, and technology was advancing in many ways. One of America’s most costly amendments was the 18th amendment. Prohibition, the banning of alcoholic beverages, now the brewing, transportation and selling of this product was illegal, which put America in a weird situation. The government had just stopped one of Americans most personal habits, “drinking.” The government thought that this would reduce crime, poverty, death rates, and improve both the economy and the quality of life for all Americans. These goals were obviously not achieved. Organized crime grew, also increased liquor consumption, massive murder rates and corruption among city officials was constantly happening. Prohibition also hurt the economy because there were no taxes being issued to the illegal importation and exportation of the multi-billion dollar a year industry. Bootleggers like Al’ Capone made over a million dollars a year bootlegging alcohol. Prohibition was not enforced, making it easy for people to brew and sell the illegal alcohol. Even though Al’ Capone made a lot of money it was no question that one day he would get caught. Even when he did he was only on trial for not paying taxes. Capone died at age 41. Still these bootleggers bribed city officials making it more easy and efficient for them to transport and export the alcohol. The bootleggers profited every penny they made, while the city spent taxpayers money on programs to enforce this law. Society was infuriated with this law; people started making alcohol beverages at their own home. Rural Cities brought their culture with them and didn’t care if it was illegal. More and more people relied in the bootleggers alcohol. Accidents and crimes were at a sky-high record, these things happened more when the amendment was in act. Believe it or not, everything was better off without prohibition. Even though

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The Prohibition era began with the ratification of the 18th Amendment. The 18th Amendment banned the manufacturing, transportation, and sale of all intoxicating liquors. It is important to note that the 18th Amendment only banned the manufacturing, sale, and transport of liquor while it did not ban the possession or consumption. This loophole made it possible for a small percentage to produce liquor before the amendment was ratified and they could serve it throughout the Prohibition era legally. The 18th Amendment proved to be impossible to fully enforce. During this era the illegal production and sale of liquor increase. Speakeasies which were illegal secret establishments where people would come to drink liquor were also on the rise. Organized crime and racketeering dominated in many areas, especially urban areas such as Chicago.…

    • 410 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The 1920s were a time of innovation and progress, and American society was changing. 1919 brought the ratification of the 18th amendment, also known as the Prohibition. According to Dictionary.com, the term “Prohibition” means to forbid (an action, activity, etc.) by authority or law. Although many thought that the Prohibition of alcohol would be a remedy for society, it ultimately caused more problems than it solved. From increased homicide rates to bootlegging and illegal smuggling, the Prohibition, also known as the Volstead Act, caused major issues for the American government. The 18th Amendment was repealed due to its negative effects on American society.…

    • 496 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Prohibition was the eighteenth amendment that was ratified in 1919 (Ch. 25 & 26 ppt).…

    • 230 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The eighteenth amendment was passed in January of 1920 by the Congress and it was a starting point of new era known as Prohibition era. The eighteenth amendment was about regulation of sale, transport, import and manufacture of liquor. Almost any type of intoxicating alcohols become illegal product in America after the eighteenth amendment. Although, President Wilson who was a president of United States during 1920s vetoed but the Congress was dominated by Republican Party. Then eventually the eighteenth amendment was passed.…

    • 1368 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Alcohol was thought to be the source of several of the nation’s problems. Issues like domestic violence, unemployment and poverty. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union first introduced the idea of prohibition, the illegalization of the buying, selling or consumption of alcohol. Prohibition was made official in 1919 as Nebraska became the 36th state to ratify the proposal. Prohibition took effect one year later in 1920. In the beginning, prohibition had an overwhelming amount of popularity from most of the country however Americans quickly changed their mind. Prohibition ended in 1933 with the 21st amendment to the Constitution. The increase in crime across the nation, several negative financial aspects of prohibition, and the eventual increase in corruption and loss of national restriction were all factors in the nation’s sudden change of heart.…

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Prohibition created a huge consumer market unmet by legitimate means. Organized crime filled that vacuum left by the closure of the legal alcohol industry. Homicides increased in many cities, partly as a result of gang wars, but also because of an increase in drunkenness.…

    • 913 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Eighteenth Amendment, or better known as the Prohibition Amendment, was the change to the Constitution that made the, "manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purpose is hereby prohibited" (209). In other words, associating one 's self with anything alcoholic, with the exception of medicinally, was illegal. This seemingly un-American amendment was ratified January 16, 1919. Certain groups of people such as the anti-saloon league petitioned the government in favor of prohibition.…

    • 1308 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    On the midnight of January 26,1920, America went officially dry. The habit of most Americans was prohibited when the 18th Amendment was passed. The manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within the United States was forbidden. Prohibition was seen as a solution for one of the most serious problems in America which is caused by drinking, but then why did America change its mind? It happened for three major reasons: crime, enforcement and disrespect of law, and economic issues.…

    • 337 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prohibition was a black eye in the history of the United States. Prohibition started in 1920 and ended in 1933. Prohibition cause more harm than good in the U.S. in the length of time that it was in effect. Prohibition was instituted with ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution on January 16, 1919, and went into effect in the 1920’s. Congress passed the "Volstead Act" on October 28, 1919, to enforce the law. Most big cities and most states did not like this, so much so, that they didn’t enforce this law and kept selling, buying, and drinking alcohol; in fact, most of the Police officers and government officials themselves were still consuming, buying, and selling alcohol. So really, what was the point of it? This made many criminals who took advantage of Alcohol being illegal and made huge profits.…

    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Alcohol remained available during Prohibition. People still got drunk, still became alcoholics, still suffered delirium tremens. Drunken drivers remained a frequent menace on the highways. Drunks continued to commit suicide, to kill others, and to be killed by others. They continued to beat their own children, sometimes fatally. The courts, jails, hospitals, and mental hospitals were still filled with drunks, In some respects and in some parts of the country, perhaps, the situation was a little better during Prohibition-but in other respects it was unquestionably worse.…

    • 862 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prohibtion

    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages

    On top of prohibition, the economy was already bsdly suffering. Because of the recent over flow in federal prisons with inmates the government had to fund more money to assist the new inmates. An increase in crime also means an increase in police force. The government also had to hire more policemen because of all the crime. Many jobs were lost because of prohibition. Workers had to find new jobs or sell illegal alcohol to make their money. Before prosperity can return in this country the budgets of local and national government must be balanced. (doc.e) In this…

    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    For example, while crime was expected to decrease, due to so many people illegally buying and selling alcohol, crime increased greatly and gangs began to rise in big cities. Al Capone is the most notorious of them all, having made over $60 million every year from his bootlegging operations. This organized crime, along with numerous people who bought, sold, and produced alcohol illegally caused prisons to fill with people who had committed minor infractions. People also believed that everyone would become more healthy since they wouldn’t be drinking anymore, but people were still drinking all the time. Alcohol that was being illegally produced was actually much less safe. Drinks often had a higher alcohol level than drinks in the past from before the prohibition time. Thousands died every year in the 1920s due to poorly made alcohol. When the alcohol industry was stripped away in 1920, thousands of jobs were lost. The economy took a big hit due to so many businesses being destroyed, which caused the government to lose billions of dollars. Basically, everything that prohibition was supposed to solve ended up getting worse. Due to these numerous downsides to the amendment, people realized fairly quickly that it did far more harm than good, and needed to be repealed before more damage was inevitably…

    • 825 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Before the Prohibition Era, many states throughout the country relied heavily in alcohol taxes to supply the government with the money they required. In New York, nearly 75% of the state’s revenue came solely from the taxes on alcohol. When the Prohibition came about, all of that revenue was soon lost. The Prohibition cost the already indebted federal government approximately 11 billion dollars in revenue. Not only this, but the government paid over 300 million dollars to enforce the Prohibition laws, which hardly affected citizens behavior. From this loss of tax revenue, the federal government became more and more reliant on the taxes that they were not receiving. This was one of the enduring effects that the Prohibition had caused ("Unintended Consequences"). Furthermore, taxes are used in many other ways to better the country. Taxes are spent towards transportation, education, health, law and order, housing, environment, food, culture, sports, media, and many other things. Without taxes, the government could not afford to supply the country with necessities that they required. Important repairs that were needed to better cities could not be completed ("Policy Basics: Where Do Our Federal Tax Dollars Go?"). Many people fled their home in need of a better living area. Damages caused by gangsters and gangs could not always…

    • 1668 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Though, one could argue the abundance of failure that came out of the prohibition, it also provided success for Americans in the long run. It was almost could be seen as an American chance to hit the reset button. Giving us the opportunity to take a step back and see the negative side effects we were causing to ourselves. During the Prohibition the consumption of alcohol never stopped, it did decrease significantly. This pattern continued decades after the Prohibition ended. The Prohibition is a piece of history we could learn from: yes; it was a failure, yes; it did increase crime, and yes, those who were claiming to be helping American society threw the idea of Prohibition, were usually doing so to push their own political agenda, it did,…

    • 161 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Prohibition

    • 1376 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Prohibition of alcohol consumption in America damaged the very economic and social aspects of American culture in many ways. Prohibition turned out to be unsuccessful, and did notreach the projected goals. Instead of solving the problems, it ended up adding on to issues. On 16th January 1920, one of the most common personal habits and customs of American society came to a halt. The eighteenth amendment was implemented, making all importing, exporting, transporting, selling and manufacturing of intoxicating liquors absolutely prohibited. This law was created in the hope of achieving the reduction of alcohol consumption, which in turn would reduce: crime, poverty, death rates, and improve both the economy, and the…

    • 1376 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays