18th Amendment: Prohibition

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The Eighteenth Amendment: Prohibition of the 1920’s
In the 1920’s American politics were dominated by democracy and the idea of isolationism to keep America prosperous. However in 1919 President Woodrow Wilson passed the 18th Amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of alcoholic drinks. During this time of Prohibition widespread crime arose and many things took place which led to Prohibitions strongest point to its fall. Prohibition proved to be a failure from the start it was scarcely adhered to and widely defied.

On January 29, 1919, secretary of state announced that thirty six states had ratified the eighteenth amendment and it had therefore become a part of the Constitution. President Wilson tried to veto the Amendment but was overturned by congress and reluctantly passed into legislation. The passing of the Prohibition Act was amazing since alcohol was the seventh largest industry in the nation. It was established and respected as part of the businesses which provided the wealth of America. Although the technical reason as to why the Prohibition act was passed was because 66% of the congress voted for it, the main reason why it was passed was because of its mass support.

Wilson was pressured into passing the Prohibition Act by the powerful temperance movement during the Great War, claiming that alcohol was unpatriotic as it made by American’s from German descent. Temperance movements were vital keys in the ratification of the 18th Amendment. Both men and women would participate in the temperance across the United States. Women temperance movements would include gathering around saloons, pharmacies, and other places that distributed alcohol. In these gatherings women would sing prayers, recite psalms and persuade people to avoid drinking alcohol. Prohibition got support from moral crusaders in the south, who campaigned against the effects of drinking alcoh...