Prohibition Dbq

The period between 1920 and 1933 primarily known as the Prohibition Era featured a ban on the sale, production, importation, and transportation of alcohol. The social and political atmosphere during World War I allowed for the growth and spread of the temperance movement. The passage of the 16th Amendment in 1913, which replaced alcohol taxes with an income tax, leaving no economic incentive for the government to support any pro-wet legislation. In addition, passage of the Sheppard Act in 1916, which banned alcohol in Washington D.C. established a platform for the Anti-Saloon League to develop. The rise of the Anti-Saloon League during World War I helped raise hysteria surrounding German-Americans and alcohol. The Anti-Saloon League’s effective
However, with the passage of the 18th Amendment in 1920 America witnessed an increase in crime and decrease mortality in America. The emergence of social groups such as the New Women, American youth, and intellectuals resulted in mass protests of these new laws. In addition, the Great Depression crippled the American economy, creating the need for more industry. The combination of weak political support, rebellious social groups, and disastrous economic effects resulted in the repealing of the 18th amendment in only 13 years.
The lack of funding and enforcement the 18th Amendment received as a result of ineffective laws and corrupt government agents contributed a vital role in Prohibition’s decline. Because the 18th Amendment was ratified before the Volstead Act was drafted, which established a Prohibition Bureau within the Treasury Department, many politicians were uncertain what precisely Prohibition entailed. The Volstead Act mandated enforcement through federal laws and agencies as well as by state and local laws and agencies.
However, the emergence of social groups, including the New Women, American youth, African-Americans, and intellectuals resulted in a widespread rejection of traditional Victorian values. During World War I, women and African-Americans gained a new independence, opening a plethora of opportunities both socially and financially. The New Women that developed from this new freedom rejected to conform to the traditional Victorian woman. Instead more women went to college and held careers which were previously considered to be exclusively for men. While African-Americans migrated to the North, concentrating in small pockets if the city. This concentration of African-Americans allowed for the birth of the Harlem Renaissance, which emphasized emotion and spontaneity. These new values helped undercut Victorian ideals and established the precedent for a more liberal America. After World War I America developed a new culture that praised indulgence rather than restraint. The birth of the Jazz Age and popularization of the automobile enabled young adults to explore all that the city had to offer. The growth of speakeasies, which replaced traditional saloons during Prohibition, provided the alcohol and entertainment craved during the 20’s. The rise of social drinking by women and youth resulted in the “normalization of