Okla-homey
12/5/2008, 07:10 AM
December 5, 1933: Prohibition ends
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7537/amdassetuploadfile99812kw9.jpg
75 years ago today, the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment and bringing an end to the era of national prohibition of alcohol in America. At 5:32 p.m. EST, Utah became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, achieving the requisite three-fourths majority of states' approval. Pennsylvania and Ohio had ratified it earlier in the day.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/6919/amdprohibitionsx3.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/6346/amd21stamendmentux5.jpg
The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early 19th century, when American women concerned about the adverse effects of drinking began forming temperance societies.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2729/amdprohibitiontileco0.jpg
By the late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state level and calling for national liquor abstinence. Their power increased exponentialy when women won the vote by passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919.
Several states had outlawed the manufacture or sale of alcohol within their own borders. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, prohibiting the "manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes," was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. On January 29, 1919, the 18th Amendment achieved the necessary three-fourths majority of state ratification. Prohibition essentially began in June of that year, but the amendment did not officially take effect until January 29, 1920.
In the meantime, Congress passed the Volstead Act on October 28, 1919, over President Woodrow Wilson's veto. The Volstead Act provided for the enforcement of Prohibition, including the creation of a special Prohibition unit of the Treasury Department.
In its first six months, the unit destroyed thousands of illicit stills run by bootleggers. However, federal agents and police did little more than slow the flow of booze, and organized crime flourished in America. Large-scale bootleggers like Al Capone of Chicago built criminal empires out of illegal distribution efforts, and federal and state governments lost billions in tax revenue. In most urban areas, the individual consumption of alcohol was largely tolerated and drinkers gathered at "speakeasies," the Prohibition-era term for saloons.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7615/amdbuzzrepealts7.jpg
Prohibition, failing fully to enforce sobriety and costing billions, rapidly lost popular support in the early 1930s. In 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was passed and ratified, ending national Prohibition. After the repeal of the 18th Amendment, some states continued Prohibition by maintaining statewide temperance laws.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1686/64798871mg0.png
Mississippi, the last dry state in the Union, ended Prohibition in 1966. It must be said however, even though Mississippi was technically "dry" until 1966, it was as dry as a dry martini. In the same region and among the last states to go "wet", the annual college football game between the then "dry" states of Georgia and UF became known as the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" in the 1950's.
For what it's worth, the work of eliminating inneffective and silly restrictions on the sale of alcohol is not over. For one thing, we need to give 18 y/o's back the right to buy alcohol. They are either legal adults or they're not for crying out loud. If they are old enough to vote, get married, buy a house, and serve their country in combat, why on earth do we continue to say they can't buy a beer? Heck, we let kids younger than 18 legally drive a car! I think we should flip it. Let 18's y/o's drink, but raise the driving age to 21. Moreover, many experts agree that allowing 18 y/os to buy and consume alocohol legally would very likely reduce dangerous binge drinking on college campuses.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6133/insane7zolh2.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7537/amdassetuploadfile99812kw9.jpg
75 years ago today, the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment and bringing an end to the era of national prohibition of alcohol in America. At 5:32 p.m. EST, Utah became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, achieving the requisite three-fourths majority of states' approval. Pennsylvania and Ohio had ratified it earlier in the day.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/6919/amdprohibitionsx3.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/6346/amd21stamendmentux5.jpg
The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early 19th century, when American women concerned about the adverse effects of drinking began forming temperance societies.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2729/amdprohibitiontileco0.jpg
By the late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state level and calling for national liquor abstinence. Their power increased exponentialy when women won the vote by passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919.
Several states had outlawed the manufacture or sale of alcohol within their own borders. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, prohibiting the "manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes," was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. On January 29, 1919, the 18th Amendment achieved the necessary three-fourths majority of state ratification. Prohibition essentially began in June of that year, but the amendment did not officially take effect until January 29, 1920.
In the meantime, Congress passed the Volstead Act on October 28, 1919, over President Woodrow Wilson's veto. The Volstead Act provided for the enforcement of Prohibition, including the creation of a special Prohibition unit of the Treasury Department.
In its first six months, the unit destroyed thousands of illicit stills run by bootleggers. However, federal agents and police did little more than slow the flow of booze, and organized crime flourished in America. Large-scale bootleggers like Al Capone of Chicago built criminal empires out of illegal distribution efforts, and federal and state governments lost billions in tax revenue. In most urban areas, the individual consumption of alcohol was largely tolerated and drinkers gathered at "speakeasies," the Prohibition-era term for saloons.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7615/amdbuzzrepealts7.jpg
Prohibition, failing fully to enforce sobriety and costing billions, rapidly lost popular support in the early 1930s. In 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was passed and ratified, ending national Prohibition. After the repeal of the 18th Amendment, some states continued Prohibition by maintaining statewide temperance laws.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1686/64798871mg0.png
Mississippi, the last dry state in the Union, ended Prohibition in 1966. It must be said however, even though Mississippi was technically "dry" until 1966, it was as dry as a dry martini. In the same region and among the last states to go "wet", the annual college football game between the then "dry" states of Georgia and UF became known as the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" in the 1950's.
For what it's worth, the work of eliminating inneffective and silly restrictions on the sale of alcohol is not over. For one thing, we need to give 18 y/o's back the right to buy alcohol. They are either legal adults or they're not for crying out loud. If they are old enough to vote, get married, buy a house, and serve their country in combat, why on earth do we continue to say they can't buy a beer? Heck, we let kids younger than 18 legally drive a car! I think we should flip it. Let 18's y/o's drink, but raise the driving age to 21. Moreover, many experts agree that allowing 18 y/os to buy and consume alocohol legally would very likely reduce dangerous binge drinking on college campuses.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6133/insane7zolh2.jpg