Prohibition was authorized in 1919 by the 18th Amendment and it was implemented by the Volstead Act. It got a lot of support from women as well as churches.
It was popular in both the South and the West:
Prohibition didn't prohibit too well:
- hard liquor drunk by the cocktail (because of difficulties transporting/concealing bottles drinks with high alcoholic content were popular)
- worst of the homemade "rotgut" could cause blindness, even death
- South: the whites were eager to keep drinks away from blacks (in case they burst out of "their place")
- West: the people saw it as an attack on all vices associated with the Western saloon (public drunkenness, prostitution, corruption, and crime)
Not so popular in big eastern cities:
- the immigrants were influenced by the Old World styles of sociability ("wet" foreign-born people)
People were convinced the Prohibition was there to stay so they had last wild flings before the "alcoholiday."
The prohibitionists were a bit naive:
- forgot the American tradition (strong drink, weak central government)
- the federal authorities had never successfully enforced a law that the majority opposed
- couldn't make a crime out of something the people didn't consider to be a crime in the first place
There were certain conditions that hampered the enforcement of prohibition:
- slaking thirst became a cherished personal liberty (some people came to believe that repeal could be accomplished by a large enough violation)
- legislators voted "dry" but drank "wet"
-soldiers returning from France were angry
- workers were angry about the loss of their cheap beer while the rich could buy all the illicit drinks they wanted
- youth thought it "smart" to swill bootleg liquor
- the old engaged in "bar hunts"
Prohibition may have worked better if there had been a larger army of enforcement officials (they were understaffed and underpaid), people (even innocent bystanders) were killed by dry agents
Prohibition didn't prohibit too well:- saloons replaced by "speakeasies"
- hard liquor drunk by the cocktail (because of difficulties transporting/concealing bottles drinks with high alcoholic content were popular)- foreign rumrunners from West Indies and Canada (which would sometimes strain American relations)
"Home brew" and "bath tub gin" became popular
But, prohibition wasn't an entire failure:
- bank savings increased
- absenteeism in industry decreased
- there was probably less alcohol consumed then before Prohibition although strong drink was still available
Next is Andrew
I really enjoyed the pictures!! One must admit that the Prohibition was a very unique aspect of America, not many other nations have ever outlawed alcohol and obviously, as you have shown, when alcohol is banned worker productivity increases. BUT, I highly doubt there will ever be another Prohibition since the banning of alcohol was really just a annoyance rather than a law that was strictly followed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comprehensive coverage of this topic!
ReplyDeleteI like how you pointed out how the South was bent on keeping the drinks away from the African Americans. I also like how you pointed out how the home brew and the bathtub gin became popular. This shows how dependent Americans were on their beer.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog Alexis. I really enjoyed the pictues and the numerous liquor nicknames. The whole Prohibition idea was a good one, but like you said, it just couldn't be enforced.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that when the 21st Amendment passed, there was much dancing in the streets and, of course, drinking.
HAHAHAHA I loved the idea of a last celebration before the "alcoholiday"!!!! Imagine how many people were totally wasted on the streets!!! Anyways, I think that it's intresting to see just how people try to repeal laws they oppose, like getting enough people to violate it. ^^ Also, did the prohibitioners not foresee the poeple "home-making" their drinks? This is AMERICA people! We smuggled goods throughout every war; who's to say we're not going to do it to ourselves?
ReplyDeleteGood info Alexis. I, like Evan, enjoyed the pictures.
Good information! I like the way you posted with bullets :) I can only imagine what society would do if the goverment abolished liquor again! ( You did a great job with the pictures)
ReplyDeleteGood post! VERY informative! I liked the picture, too, Evan. haha, Americans sure do love their alcohol, don't they? bath tub brews? Hahaha, it's funny to thinkt hat people actually thought they could completely rule out alcohol. Imagine if the government tried to rule it out today!
ReplyDeleteThe 18th amendment took away one of America's most sacred rights - the right to drink. Sarcasm aside I think prohibition failed since people wanted alcohol and would drink it whether it was legal or not.
ReplyDeleteI love your pictures! It is funny that prohibition did not work out that well as it supposed to have.. i can't believe they came up with "home brew".. at least the US's drinking age is 21 and not 16 as in Germany ..haha :)
ReplyDeleteGood job ;)
Alexis.
ReplyDeleteYour post is awesome. I really learned a lot and your post was easy to understand. Your pictures were a great visual aid. I always though that the south would of been against prohibition.