The Failure of the Prohibition Act of 1920 - 2204 Words

In 1919 the Constitution of the United States issued the 18th amendment, enforced into law as the National Prohibition Act of 1920. Prohibition is the banning of the manufacture, sale, and possession of alcohol, including beer and wine. This amendment was repealed with the passing of the 21st amendment to the constitution, allowing the possession of alcohol in the United States. In the City of Washington on Monday, December 5th, 1932 the 21st amendment document included the reestablished rights of the citizens restricted by the 18th amendment. (Appendix II) The 18th amendment was the first and only amendment repealed by the constitution, allowing people to possess, sell, and buy their own alcohol. Prohibition not only failed in its†¦show more content†¦Upon his move to Cincinnati he hit the height of his success in his bootlegging industry. Remus hired 3,000 people and spent $20,000,000 in bribes. Among these expenses were his overwhelming profits of $45 to $75 million. About this time, Remus was going through a divorce with his wife which also led to more troubles with the law for Remus. His wife’s plan to steal his money sent Remus into a mode of extreme greed and ownership. Remus shot his wife and essentially got away with murder during his trial. The 21st amendment was a result of the reverse affect that prohibition had on the society in the early 1900s. George Remus’s illegal bootlegging industry and his trial were direct results of the 18th amendment. In attempts to reduce crime and the â€Å"evils† of alcohol in the 20th century, the national prohibition act was established without the thought-out reprimands. George Remus is a direct examp le of the reverse affects that prohibition had on the United States. As crime increased due to this new law, people began to see how much more trouble, crime, hatred, and destruction prohibition had caused. If it were not for prohibition, the illegal possession of alcohol would not be present and the number of criminals and delinquents would not have been as significant. People’s need to make money and their personal desire to drink alcohol backfired on the government. The 21st amendment was seen as a way to make peace, which was what was intended of the 18th amendment but it wasShow MoreRelatedHow did the Prohibition Change the United States of America (USA)? And why was it a failure?1490 Words   |  6 PagesThe word Prohibition as stated in the World Book encyclopaedia refers to laws that are designed to prevent the drinking of alcoholic beverages. The enforcement of the Volstead Act in the United States of America (USA) saw the nationwide beginning of the prohibition on the 16th of January 1920. The Prohibition brought about a change in attitude for the people of the United States (USA). It caused an extreme rise in crime; encouraging everyday people to break the law and increased the amount ofRead MoreWhy was Prohibition such a controversial issue during the 1920’s1369 Words   |  6 Pages 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 prescribedRead More The American Prohibition of Alcohol in the 1920s Essay647 Words   |  3 PagesThe American Prohibition of Alcohol in the 1920s The prohibition of alcohol in the United States lasted from 1920 until 1932. 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