The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution banned the manufacture, transportation, and sale of all alcoholic beverages called the prohibition. The Prohibition officially went into effect on January 17th, 1920, and immediately problems began to arise. It was very difficult to enforce such a rule, and even harder to locate all the sources of illegal booze. Illegal liquor production skyrocketed as many people began looking for alcoholic beverages and were unsuccessful. Speakeasies began to pop up in more and more places, resulting in many getting around the Prohibition.
Other things happened as a result of the Prohibition. Other illegal substances became more prevalent, as people were taking up other habits to fill their alcohol habits. Smoking, gambling, and illegal narcotic usage soared as many were desperate to fill the hole alcohol has left them. Gang violence and other violent crimes happened more frequently, so by the end of the 1920s, support for the Prohibition waned dramatically. The 21st Amendment finally ended the Prohibition in 1933.
Fun Facts:
- The Prohibition is the only Amendment to have been repealed.
- Women fought to pass the Prohibition because they saw alcohol as a home-wrecker.
- The Prohibition never banned the consumption of alcohol, just the means by which it was obtained it were illegal.
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