THE 18TH AND 21ST AMENDMENTS

The Temperance MovementSocial Movement of the 19th and early 20th century

People in social, political, and religious groups believed that the United States would be a better nation if drinking alcohol was restricted

The movement was just meant to encourage people to drink less at first, but then people decided that alcohol should not be sold at all

Believed alcohol badly impacted societyAlcohol was the reason for unemployment, problems at work, homelessness, and an increase in violence and crime

The Temperance Movement

The 18th Amendment• Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

• Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

The 18th Amendment• Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

The 18th Amendment

The 18th Amendment (1919-1933)• Passed on December 18, 1917• Ratified by 36 states on January 16, 1919• Went into effect on January 17, 1920• Many states had already prohibited alcohol before the amendment was ratified

• The amendment did not ban drinking alcohol• In response to the prohibition of alcohol, violence and organized crime grew because of public demand for illegal alcohol

The 18th Amendment

The Volstead Act

• Passed 1919• Allowed the United States government to enforce the 18th Amendment

• Any drink containing 0.5% alcohol or higher was illegal

• It was illegal to barter, deliver, or posses alcohol

Response to the 18th Amendment• People sold liquor on the Black Market

• Al Capone made over 100 million dollars selling alcohol illegally

• Many people did not enforce the law since many were against it

• Alcohol still available so people were still able to drink it

The 21st Amendment• Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

• Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

The 21st Amendment• Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission here of to the States by the Congress.

The 21st Amendment• Congress proposed the amendment on February 20, 1933

• Michigan was the first state to ratify it• Utah was the 36th state to ratify the 21st amendment

• It repealed the 18th Amendment • Prohibition (The Noble Experiment)• Ratified on December 5, 1933• First time an amendment as repealed another amendment

The 21st Amendment• The second section bans the importation of alcohol in

violation of state or territorial law• states still had absolute control over alcoholic beverage• Many states still remained “dry” with state prohibition of

alcohol• Mississippi remained “dry” until 1966• Kansas prohibited bars until 1987