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In the late 1800s, religious groups made a movement to ban alcohol. They considered alcohol to be a threat to the nation. Groups such as American Temperance Union, Anti-Saloon League, Board of Temperance Strategy, and Church Temperance Society were apart of this movement. -
Prohibition was first proposed in the Senate. They proposed prohibition to reduce crime and corruption, improve health and hygiene in America, and solve social problems. -
In 1919, Congress ratified the 18th Amendment. The 18th Amendment prohibited the manufacturing, transportation, and sale of alcohol. -
The Volstead Act was proposed. This act defined an intoxicating beverage as anything that had contained any more than 1/2 of 1% alcohol.
Canadian prohibition laws had set the limit at 2.5%. -
Throughout the years of 1920-1933, bootlegging was seen to have increased. Bootlegging is the illegal manufacturing, transportation, and selling of alcohol. -
Organized crimes had begun causing a 24% crime increase between 1920 and 1921. This included bootlegging, bank robbery, kidnapping, auto theft, gambling, and drug trafficking. Thefts rose 9%, assault rose 13%, and drunkenness rose 41%. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act which prohibited the Volstead Act. The Volstead Act permitted the manufacturing and sale of alcohol. -
Sometime in 1933, there was widespread public disillusionment that had eventually led Congress to ratify the 21st Amendment. They ratified this Amendment in hopes to reside prohibition.
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On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment was ratified. This Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment. This ended the prohibition of alcohol. -
In 1966, Mississippi was the last state the repealed the 18th Amendment. This lead them to be what we called the last dry state within the Union.