By: Lea Fakhouri, Johnny Boustany, Giorgio Meloy, GP Bongia Prohibition 1920 – 1933 By: Lea Fakhouri, Johnny Boustany, Giorgio Meloy, GP Bongia

Aims of the Prohibition Era The ratification of the 1920 18th Amendment to the US constitution led to the birth of the Prohibition era (1920-1933). This era witnessed the legal prevention of the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors and alcoholic beverages. This was a result of a hard-fought campaign by prohibition advocates which painted alcohol as America’s curse and argued that prohibition would lead to lower crime rates, stronger families and bolster the American character. In addition, many advocates thought that this would strengthen the workforce and also improve business for other industries.

Context Regarding the Roots of the Movement: The initial movement began in the 1850s as a religious campaign to ban alcohol known as ‘The Temperance Movement’, but lost strength a few years later. In the 1880s, another campaign was created known as ‘The Dry Movement’ as a revival after seeing that two other movements known as ‘The Woman's Christian Temperance Union’ and the ‘Prohibition Party’ became strong regarding banning alcohol. As a group these three main campaigns aimed to pass the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution to ban all alcohol in the United States; as a group they were called the ‘Anti-Saloon League’. The early movements later transitioned into the 1920s-1930s and eventually led the banning of alcohol in the United States. The main motive of this movement was to eliminate any companies and manufacturers of alcohol, but it turned out that this plan did not work out.

The peak of Prohibition The prohibition became stronger during World War 1after it was believed that alcoholic industries were taking key supplies from war industries such as molasses and grain. There came a time where the prohibition became weak, as new technology started to be developed like refrigeration and there was a rise in distribution of beer and whiskey to create more profit Despite this weakness, in the year 1919, the 18th Amendment act was established in 36 states banning the selling of alcohol, but allowing people to possess it in their homes as long as it’s only at home and not given to anyone else. Also with the exception that doctors are allowed to prescribe liquor to patients as it is a healing agent, as long as the government provides the stock, and also wine in churches for religious purposes.

Speakeasies Speakeasies were formed during the Prohibition era and by the mid 1920’s there were approximately 100,000 speakeasies in New York alone. They were generally located in local businesses or old buildings and one would have to know a password to enter. They generated a large sum of profit, so people were willing to take the risk of going to jail. However, a lot of that money earned was used to bribe officers, judges and other government officials. The bootleggers were very motivated and driven by money to the extent that they came up with new, secretive methods to transport or make alcohol. It would be transported in garden hoses, books and even babies. This dangerous practice emerged underground and remained for more than a decade.

Downfall of the prohibition era Due to decreased support for prohibition, the era ended approximately after a decade when Roosevelt encouraged Congress to pass the 21st Amendment in 1933. It was ratified by the end of that year and brought the Prohibition era to a close.

References in the book “ In the main hall a bar with a real brass rail was set up, and stocked with gins and liquors and with cordials so long forgotten that most of his female guests were too young to know one from another.” p. 40 “I could see nothing sinister about him. I wondered if the fact that he was not drinking helped to set him off from his guests, for it seemed to me that he grew more correct as the fraternal hilarity increased” (50) Gatsby was not drinking because he used the parties to attract Daisy, more than it was to party

Bibliography History.com Staff. "Prohibition." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 21 June 2017. "Why Prohibition?" Prohibition. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 June 2017. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Prohibition." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 23 Mar. 2017. Web. 21 June 2017. Avey, Tori. "The Great Gatsby, Prohibition, and Fitzgerald." PBS. Public Broadcasting Service, 14 May 2013. Web. 21 June 2017.