Why was Prohibition such a controversial issue during the...

Why was Prohibition such a controversial issue during the 1920’s? Prohibition was the banning of the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages. The power to ban the production, export, import, transportation or sale of alcoholic beverages was given by the 18th Amendment, 1917. This was gradually adopted by state governments across America and was followed up in 1919 by the Volstead Act that defined intoxicating liquor as a drink containing 0.5% of alcohol and prescribed penalties for breaking the law. By 1920 Prohibition applied to the whole of the USA. The passing of this law was quite astounding for several reasons, partly because the legal liquor industry was the 7th biggest in the country,†¦show more content†¦Prohibition was also favoured by many women’s groups, such as the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, who identified alcohol as a means by which men oppressed them. Religious groups also identified alcohol as the work of the devil, responsible for the moral downfall of America. Perhaps more significantly it als o had the influential backing of several big business tycoons, most notably John D Rockafeller who gave his personal support and a large amount of money to the League, seeing drunkenness as leading to danger and inefficiency in the workplace. Supporters of Prohibition tended to be white, middle class, overwhelmingly protestant, from small towns in the South and West and generally voted Republican. Opponents were likely to be urban, of non-northern European ethnic origin, Roman Catholic and vote Democrat. Despite the controversy that you might expect a proposed amendment such as this to evoke, there was actually very little opposition to the measure. Two principal factors lead to an increase in popularity of Prohibition at the time. The first of these was the impact of war, which gave several impetuses to Prohibition. Grain was needed for food; so many peopleShow MoreRelatedA Sociological And Humanistic Perspective1714 Words   |  7 Pagessocietal circumstances and events that culminated to create the right environment for the law to pass. It is also necessary to understand the social reaction and potential backlash to the establishment or proposal of the law in order to explain how it was passed. Additionally, the evolution and current status of the law is to be explained by social factors that may have led to the repeal, replacement, or acceptance of the law. For the purposes of this essay, I have chosen to focus on constitutionalRead MoreRoaring 20 s Vs. Swinging1072 Words   |  5 PagesRoaring 20’s vs. Swinging 60’s Taking a look back in time, so much has changed, especially in the time period between the 1920’s and 1960’s. The 1920’s and 1960’s are two decades that have really defined the United States’ culture. 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Heavy losses over seas left Americans turned off to problems occurring outside of United States borders. As the citizens’ averted their eyes from the problems of the world, they were left to focus their a ttention of forming theRead MoreThe Popularity of Gangster Films in the Early Nineteen-Thirties2065 Words   |  9 PagesThe Popularity of Gangster Films in the Early Nineteen-Thirties The late 1920s in America was a particularly tumultuous period of time for the country. The Wall Street Crash in 1929 had led to high levels of unemployment and dissatisfaction within the country. The Depression (1929-1934), which was a direct result of The Wall Street Crash, led to a breakdown of industry and commerce within the country and weakened its global positionRead More Legalize drugs Essay example2773 Words   |  12 Pages Such an issue stirs up moral and religious beliefs; beliefs that are contrary to what America should quot;believequot;. However, such a debate has been apparent in the American marketplace of ideas before with the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s. With the illegality of alcohol the mafia could produce liquor and therefore had considerable control over those who wanted their substance and service. The role that the mafia played in the 1920s has transformed into the corner drug dealers and