vas_c_b


 * B. Summary of Evidence (500-600 words)** Tips]

On the 16th of January 1920, the United States made a drastic change to their country, the 18th Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution, banning the sale, manufacture, and transport of alcohol. All their distilleries, saloons and breweries were obligated to shut down. (1)

Prohibition was led by several movements, for example the Anti-Saloon League and the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. The Anti-Saloon League worked along side with the American Issue Printing Company which helped spread their campaign.They created several stories and songs to reach out to the people, “Dispel the wrong, enthrone the right, and mark the whole world dry, we’ll work for Prohibition…”. (2)(3) The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union also played an important role, they worried about the social problems caused by the use of alcohol such as child abuse and wife beatings. (1)(4) They made several campaigns against alcohol for example the “Lips that touch liquor shall not touch ours”. (5) Carry A. Nation was at the time seen by many as “Crazy Carry” but now is considered, “the woman who worked zealously to unite them [religious culture, regional politics] all”. (6) She is famously known for vandalizing saloons and with a hatchet, “I felt invincible. My strength was that of a giant. God was certainly standing by me. I smashed five saloons with rocks before I ever took a hatchet”. (7)(8) Even industrialist leaders like Henry Ford were worried about the alcohol’s effect on work efficiency, “the [18th Amendment] greatest force for the comfort and prosperity of the U. S.”. (9) Before the 18th Amendment, war was also used to back-up prohibition, “a number of breweries around the country which are owned in part by alien enemies”. (1)(10)

The 18th Amendment turned out to be very difficult to enforce, the American Government estimated enforcement to cost around $300 million. (1) Many people made their own alcohol at home, for example Yak-Yak Bourbon, Wood Alcohol, Pumpkin Wine, and Bathtub Gin (11), others smuggled alcohol into the country. One of the most famous “bootleggers” was Al Capone who based in Chicago, he was well known for his dreadful reputation and eliminating other rival gangs. (12) The St Valentine’s Day Massacre on the 14th of February 1929 was one of the well remembered examples of his brutality as he machine gunned 11 members of the ‘Bugs’ Moran Mob, “seven men lay dead or dying, their bodies riddled with at least one-hundred machine-gun bullets”. (13)

Culture was also influenced by Prohibition, movies such as ‘Little Caesar’, (14) ‘Scarface’ (15) and ‘The Public Enemy’ (16) were inspired by Americans public enemies, Al Capone, John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, Bonnie and Clyde. Jazz music was extremely popular during Prohibition, many famous jazz singers like Duke Ellington, Bojangles Robinson went to perform in speakeasies (17). As a result of this many people considered jazz music “a Bolshevik element protesting against law and order” and “an influence for evil in society”. (18)

With the USA entering the Great Depression in 1929 the tax income and job opportunities of legal breweries seemed like a decent option. During Franklin D. Roosevelt ’s 1932 campaign for New York Governor he went against Prohibition to gain more votes. On December 5th, 1933 the 21st Amendment was passed after 36 states approved the repeal of Prohibition. (1)

Word Count: 541

** References :** (1) Steven Mintz, 2011, the Department of History and the College of Education at the University of Houston, August 15th, 2011, []

(2) Westerville Public Library, 2011, 126 South State St. Westerville, Ohio, August 21st, 2011, 43081 []

(3) Quote from song, “The World Is Going Dry”, Lyrics by J.H. Lakimore, Music by G.G.Grabill

(4) Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 2011, Frances Willard Memorial Library and Archives 1730 Chicago Ave. Evanston, Illinois 60201, August 21st, 2011, []

(5) Prof. David J. Hanson PhD, 2011, Lips that touch liquor shall not touch ours (Image) State University of New York Potsdam, NY 13676, 22 August 2011, []

(6) Quote from The Library Journal describing Carry A. Nation

(7) Fran Grace, 2004, Carry A. Nation: retelling the life, Indiana University Press

(8) Quote from Carry A. Nation

(9) Quote from Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company

(10) Quote from Wayne Wheeler, lobbyist for the Anti-Saloon League

(11) Yak-Yak Bourbon: homemade liquor fermented in old whisky barrelsthat became extremely popular in Philadelphia; Wood Alcohol : a dangerous form of alcohol made during prohibition; Pumpkin Wine : wine that was fermented inside a pumpkin ; Bathtub Gin : homemade liquor mixed in a bathtub

(12) The FBI Federal Bureau Investigations, 2011, U.S. Federal Government, U.S. Department of Justice, 25 August 2011, []

(13) Olivia Mahoney, 2010, Chicago History Museum, 22 August 2011, []

(14) Little Caesar, 1931, motion picture, First National Pictures, Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, Staring Edward G. Robinson

(15) The Public Enemy, 1931, motion picture, Warner Bros. Pictures, Directed by William A. Wellman, Starring James Cagney and Jean Harlow

(16) Scarface, 1932, motion picture, Universal Pictures and Caddo Company, Directed by Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson, Starring Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley

(17) Speakeasies: A place were alcohol was sold illegally, also called Blind Pig or Blind Tiger

(18) Cathy Richarde, 2011, Oracle ThinkQuest Education Foundation, 19 August 2011, []