The Prohibition period lasted from January 1920 to December 1933. Its supporters wanted to end the consumption of alcohol, which brought suffering to many families. However, Prohibition was ultimately unsuccessful, and instead, allowed government corruption, widespread criminal activities, and the birth of a unique era in US history. While Prohibition is often linked to clubs, jazz, and romance, it was not all like that. This article will explore the historical background of Prohibition, the criminal activities of this era, and what brought it to an end.
The Political and Historical Background
The idea of banning alcohol consumption in the United States originated before the Prohibition Era and began to spread among various religious and social movements. In particular, the Temperance Movement, advocating for sizable social reforms in the United States, gained a lot of support in the 1830s. Alcohol was often linked to crime, abuse, bad behavior, violence, and poverty. Some organizations, such as the American Temperance Society and Women’s Christian Temperance Union, called for banning liquor consumption because its members believed it represented the moral deterioration of society and humanity. These organizations started propagating alcohol prohibition in the first part of the 19th century, and the idea started getting more support over time.
Even before the official ban and the Prohibition era, there were some attempts to ban or limit alcohol consumption on a state level. In 1838, Massachusetts passed a law to ban the sale of spirits in quantities smaller than 15 gallons, wanting to make it more difficult for people to purchase alcohol. However, the unpopular law was repealed two years later. Similarly, in 1846, Maine introduced a temperance and prohibition law which highly restricted the sale of alcohol. In 1851, Maine became the first state that passed a statewide prohibition law, outlawing the production and sale of alcohol altogether. This law was one of the first precedents for the upcoming nationwide prohibition laws, since some other states, like Rhode Island and Kansas, soon followed its example.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Prohibition movement and its ideas gained more supporters and political backing. One of the most influential backers of the movement was businessman Henry Ford, who believed that alcohol negatively affected the productivity of his workers. The support of wealthy industrialists, who poured money and finances into the movement, made it possible to develop a strong and effective propaganda campaign. Thus, the ideas behind Prohibition began to reach and spread among its target audience.
Another essential factor influencing the Prohibition movement was the outbreak of World War I (1914-1918). The American public started developing an anti-German stance, which included boycotting German-owned bars and breweries. Additionally, the ingredients used to make alcohol were much needed to produce food and other necessary goods during the conflict. As a result, in the mid-1910s, Prohibition gained significant momentum, and the number of supporters from different parts of society increased. The movement also gained a national dimension, which greatly helped its advocates.
The 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act
As political support for Prohibition grew, so did the calling for the official law and the amendment that would legalize it. On January 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment was finally ratified, marking one of the most famous chapters in US history. The amendment prohibited the selling and consumption of alcohol nationwide and officially made producing, transferring, and trading alcohol illegal.
While the 18th Amendment targeted “intoxicating liquors,” it did not specify what kind of liquors would be banned, nor did it explain how the law and prohibition would be imposed. The lack of specificity was resolved by Congress, which passed the National Prohibition Act, commonly known as Volstead Act (after Minnesota representative Andrew Volstead), the same year. Even though President Woodrow Wilson was against Prohibition, famously trying to veto the Volstead Act, Congress passed the measure on October 28, 1919. The Volstead Act marked a watershed moment in American history, enforcing the 18th Amendment. The act also defined the “intoxicating liquors” mentioned in the amendment as any beverage with more than 0.5% alcohol by volume.
The Volstead Act gave the federal government a plan and way to enforce the new law and prosecute people who would violate it. However, the National Prohibition Act and the laws against alcohol consumption were not as successful as its supporters hoped. People still enjoyed drinking, and alcohol consumption and trade simply went underground, giving more power to criminals and helping the rise of bootlegging and other criminal enterprises. Criminals, such as the notorious Al Capone, made a lot of money illegally due to the widespread corruption of the Prohibition Era.
Bootlegging and Organized Crime
One of the phrases often connected to Prohibition was bootlegging. What did it actually mean? Bootlegging was a term used to describe criminal activity regarding the manufacturing, transporting, and trading of alcohol during the Prohibition Era. The origin of the name goes back to the 19th century and it is connected to people hiding alcohol in their boots. During Prohibition, Bootlegging started immediately upon the ratification of the Volstead Act and manifested itself in different ways, including moonshining, smuggling, and speakeasies.
Moonshining refers to the practice of making alcoholic beverages at home. It was extremely popular during Prohibition, especially in some provincial and rural territories. Smuggling was another common practice at the time. Alcoholic drinks were usually smuggled to the US from Canada and the Caribbean, since they were the closest to the US borders. Despite alcohol being illegal in North America, the bordering countries did not intend to abandon the use of the infamous beverage. Maritime smugglers, commonly known as “rum-runners,” famously carried illegal drinks from the Caribbean islands.
Bootleggers then hid their supplies in speakeasies, notorious underground bars and clubs that served the banned liquor. Over time, these establishments became one of the most famous symbols of Prohibition. These clubs were often run by criminals and criminal organizations that had protection from corrupt government employees.
The Prohibition Era was a unique period in US history, bringing up issues such as corruption and organized crime. Alcohol became one of the main illegal trades, making some people a lot of money and giving them a lot of power. Organized crime involved many people, such as policemen and politicians. Some of the most famous criminals of this era were Al Capone, Meyer Lensky, Charles “Lucky” Luciano, and George “Machine Gun” Kelly.
Corruption and Open Law Violation
If something was quite present during the Prohibition era, it was the widespread corruption, involving almost all levels of government, including local, state, and federal. The most common kinds of corruption were bribes, racketeering, and owning criminal enterprises. Criminal activities thrived and dealt with alcohol distribution while it was banned. One of the reasons why criminals became so successful during Prohibition was that government officials looked the other way and allowed criminal activities in exchange for a bribe or a cut of the profits. Chicago, New York, and Kansas City were the most (in)famous cities in terms of crime rate.
During Prohibition, certain cities had notoriously corrupted officials that made a lot of money through bootlegging and bribery. One of them was Chicago Mayor William “Big Bill” Thompson whose cabinet was involved with Al Capone. Capone had in his pocket not only the mayor, but also several judges, officers, and politicians, making sure that his criminal activities stayed protected. Another famous corrupted politician was the mayor of New York City, James J. Walker, also known as “Beau James.” Walker and many of his colleagues tolerated bootlegging because they profited from the illegal trade of alcohol. In Kansas City, the corrupted politician was Tom Pendergast, who allowed crime to thrive. Due to the widespread corruption in the city, criminal businesses were deliberately not attacked or investigated.
Despite the efforts of law enforcement officials, American society openly defied the Prohibition laws and continued to consume alcohol. The infamous “hidden” bars were serving and seeking alcoholic drinks, no matter the law, knowing that the politicians were often working with criminals and gangsters. The places selling “liquors” that represented everything the Prohibition opposed were thriving in many cities. The fact that they often operated in the open proves how much they were “in bed” with the political establishment.
The 21st Amendment and Repeal
It soon became obvious that Prohibition and its laws were not achieving their goals. The final nail in the coffin was the Great Depression (1929-1939) and all its struggles. Due to widespread corruption and criminal activities, it was clear that Prohibition was not a successful endeavor. All these factors combined led to the extreme dissatisfaction of the American public, who started calling for the end of Prohibition, arguing that it only made their lives worse and criminals richer.
People calling for the end of Prohibition also received political support from the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment and the Women’s Organization for National Reform. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gained many voters’ sympathies based on his determination to end Prohibition. In March 1933, Roosevelt issued the Cullen-Harrison Act, allowing the production and sale of drinks with up to 3.2 percent alcohol by volume. Another step in dismantling Prohibition laws occurred on February 21, 1933, when Congress proposed the 21st Amendment. Ratified later that year in December, it directly repealed the previous 18th Amendment, officially putting an end to Prohibition.
The consequences of the 21st Amendment were many and widespread. Breweries and alcohol distillers resumed their work legally, making it taxable and beneficial for the government. At the same time, criminal activities and enterprises connected to bootlegging and alcohol smuggling lost their sources of income since people were now allowed to consume alcohol legally. The 21st Amendment ended one of the most intriguing parts of US history, allowing the people of the United States of America to choose whether they would like to drink, or not, legally.
The Prohibition Era also had a major cultural impact on American society and influenced many musicians, writers, and the cinema world. Jazz music thrived during Prohibition, giving us some of the most talented musicians like Duke Ellington and Cole Porter. Some of the most famous literary works were inspired by the speakeasy culture, such as The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos. Probably the most famous cultural impact of the Prohibition Era was the so-called gangster film genre. Cinematographers were greatly inspired by this period of US history, and made some of the most known and cult classic films like Little Caesar (1931), The Public Enemy (1931), and Scarface (1932).
