World War I: Difficult Period In American History
Victor Salido
Ms. Ahonen
1301 English Sr. 6th Pd.
4 May 2016
Rough Draft
World War I was a difficult time period in American history, it was a time of progress and women began gaining a voice in society. As the war came to an end, the United States was at it’s final stages of the progressive era and groups such as the Anti-Saloon League and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union began advocating for the ban of alcohol in the states. With support from many and arguing that alcohol is a key element to domestic violence, the 18th Amendment to the constitution was passed prohibiting the manufacturing, storage, transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic beverages (US Const.amend.XVIII, sec.1). This was a prosperous time for …show more content…
Legislators feared that military personnel’s discipline and health would be menaced by the widespread availability of liquor. They also feared that processes involved in alcohol manufacturing would consume vital foods needed for the war effort. Thus, well before the Volstead Act itself was drafted, several wartime laws, particularly the Food and Fuel Control Act (August 1917), began to extend federal control over the liquor industry". Having the biggest military base in our city meant that the views Fort Bliss played a key role in our city laws. At last on January 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution became the law across the country. In order for the amendment to be enforced, Congress passed the Volstead Act while Texas set the Dean Law. Both of these documents made it illegal to manufacture and market intoxicating liquors except for monitored medicinal, sacramental and industrial purposes (McCarthy 7).
The Volstead act was a bit more sensible to punishment than the Dean Laws. McCarthy stated that, "the Volstead Act described personal violations as misdemeanors punishable with fines from $100 to $1000 whereas the Dean Laws classified it as a felony punishable with up to 5 years in prison" …show more content…
Tony Payan exclaimed that, “El Paso’s chamber of commerce in the 1920’s, found ways to promote tours to Mexico… however they were drinking tours”(Payan, Prohibition in the borderland). Dominique Ahedo also wrote in his article about Prohibition Stimulated Economies that “Historian Oscar Martinez explained that the railroads even got into the act by promoting 10-day holidays in El Paso and Juárez”. El Paso was being advertised as the "Wettest Spot on the Rio Grande" in newspapers, flyers and posters. Tourists and businessmen stayed in El Paso hotels and crossed the bridge to drink, dance and gamble. American hotels, restaurants and taxis did a thriving business as did Mexican bars, casinos and brothels. Border Immigration Supervisor Frank W. Berkshire said that from July 1918 to July 1919, only 14,130 tourists crossed the border into Mexico. Within a year, that number had risen to 418,735. (Ahedo par.
Ms. Ahonen
1301 English Sr. 6th Pd.
4 May 2016
Rough Draft
World War I was a difficult time period in American history, it was a time of progress and women began gaining a voice in society. As the war came to an end, the United States was at it’s final stages of the progressive era and groups such as the Anti-Saloon League and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union began advocating for the ban of alcohol in the states. With support from many and arguing that alcohol is a key element to domestic violence, the 18th Amendment to the constitution was passed prohibiting the manufacturing, storage, transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic beverages (US Const.amend.XVIII, sec.1). This was a prosperous time for …show more content…
Legislators feared that military personnel’s discipline and health would be menaced by the widespread availability of liquor. They also feared that processes involved in alcohol manufacturing would consume vital foods needed for the war effort. Thus, well before the Volstead Act itself was drafted, several wartime laws, particularly the Food and Fuel Control Act (August 1917), began to extend federal control over the liquor industry". Having the biggest military base in our city meant that the views Fort Bliss played a key role in our city laws. At last on January 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution became the law across the country. In order for the amendment to be enforced, Congress passed the Volstead Act while Texas set the Dean Law. Both of these documents made it illegal to manufacture and market intoxicating liquors except for monitored medicinal, sacramental and industrial purposes (McCarthy 7).
The Volstead act was a bit more sensible to punishment than the Dean Laws. McCarthy stated that, "the Volstead Act described personal violations as misdemeanors punishable with fines from $100 to $1000 whereas the Dean Laws classified it as a felony punishable with up to 5 years in prison" …show more content…
Tony Payan exclaimed that, “El Paso’s chamber of commerce in the 1920’s, found ways to promote tours to Mexico… however they were drinking tours”(Payan, Prohibition in the borderland). Dominique Ahedo also wrote in his article about Prohibition Stimulated Economies that “Historian Oscar Martinez explained that the railroads even got into the act by promoting 10-day holidays in El Paso and Juárez”. El Paso was being advertised as the "Wettest Spot on the Rio Grande" in newspapers, flyers and posters. Tourists and businessmen stayed in El Paso hotels and crossed the bridge to drink, dance and gamble. American hotels, restaurants and taxis did a thriving business as did Mexican bars, casinos and brothels. Border Immigration Supervisor Frank W. Berkshire said that from July 1918 to July 1919, only 14,130 tourists crossed the border into Mexico. Within a year, that number had risen to 418,735. (Ahedo par.