The Volstead Act - 1770 Words

During the 1920s and early 1930s the United States was seeing many different changes in its people and laws. One of the major happenings of the time was Prohibition. For the enforcement of Prohibition, the Volstead Act was passed. The Volstead Act was proposed by Andrew J. Volstead in 1919, passed with minor difficulties, and was to carry out the intent of the 18th amendment or Prohibition, which was greatly supported by temperance movement leaders (Harlow; Kizilos;) With the act, the sale of alcohol for medicinal, sacramental and industrial were permitted. Any beverage that contained â€Å"more than one-half of one percent of alcohol† was outlawed, under the act. The act was also set to give state and federal government power to be able to†¦show more content†¦The movement soon gained many followers and by the 1830s there were approximately 1.5 million members in various groups all over the the nation. The groups main focus was to promote abstinence from consuming alcoholic beverages; in other words the temperance movement. During the mid 19th century, this movement was pushed down in importance, as the Civil War became the main focus of the time. In the late 19th century however, women became prominent leaders of the movement and again the movement rose in popularity.(Stock; Thomas and Bonk) Alcohol consumption was once again tied with increase in violence and ‘social ills’. At the beginning of the 20th century 14 states had already banned alcohol consumption and within another decade 17 states had followed, so by 1913, 31 states had outlawed alcohol consumption. Three years later, in the 1916 congressional elections, many of the candidates, that were voted into office, were supporters of the Temperance movement. Soon after in 1917, a constitutional amendment that would ban the sale of alcoholic beverages was drafted. On December 18th, 1917 it was proposed as the 18th amendment, in Congress. (Stock; Clark). Congress had given states seven years to ratify the amendment however, it only took a little over a year for it to be ratified. â€Å"After one year from the ratification of this article†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Batten), the amendment was passed in 1919, but wasShow MoreRelatedVolstead Act900 Words   |  4 Pagesimpact of the Volstead Act in influencing American society in the 1920s? The ‘Roaring Twenties’ was the age of the New Woman, with political liberation to the right to vote, economic liberation to jobs and household appliances, and social liberation to fashion and new norms of behaviour symbolised by ’flappers’. The Volstead Act was introduced in 1919, which prohibited alcohol. Criminal gangs were already powerful but with the Prohibition they gained even more. Therefore the Volstead Act was the keyRead MoreThe Volstead Act of 1920775 Words   |  3 PagesThe Volstead Act of 1920 The year of 1826, the American Temperance Society was adopted. They tried to convince people to stop drinking alcohol. It didn’t take much long after this, that the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union said that they would support the ban on drugs as well as alcohol. Then in 1893, the anti-Saloon League was formed. Not too much longer, they were a political power at making this ban on alcohol reality. Women were a major driving force on the prohibition of alcohol. ManyRead MoreThe Impacts of the National Prohibition Act of 1919753 Words   |  3 Pages The National Prohibition Act of 1919 was the law that actually prohibited the purchase and consumption of alcohol. While the eighteenth amendment banned the transportation, sale, and manufacture of alcohol within the boundaries of the United States, the National Prohibition Act of 1919, also known as Volstead Act, actually started prohibition. The cause of prohibition was caused by the Temperance movement which tr ied to encourage people to not abuse alcohol. Many of the Temperance movement supportersRead MoreProhibition Is Not Just An Act981 Words   |  4 PagesHailie Dudley Mrs. Ernst English 11A 12-8-15 Prohibition Prohibition was not just an act, it was an era that changed American citizens’ daily lives; although the banning of alcohol sounded like a great idea at the time, the â€Å"noble experiment† as many called it, failed tremendously. Prohibition most certainly started with the noblest of intentions, but in its final days, it left the states with higher crime rates and deadly mobs making a fortune off of the illegal substances. Alcohol was consumingRead MoreProhibition, A Film By Ken Burns1050 Words   |  5 Pageswas an effort to change a pattern of behavior based solely on race or culture and this is just one of the reasons that the Volstead Act was met with resistance and why there was never an overwhelming consensus on this issue. So, what do you do with a new law that is ignored or resisted? In the case of prohibition, you enforce it and herein lies the problem, the Volstead act mandated concurrent enforcement of prohibition which meant enforcement through federal laws and agencies as well as by stateRead MoreThe Fourteenth Amendment And The Prohibition Of Intoxicating Liquors Within The United States1220 Words   |  5 Pagessubmission hereof to the States by the Congress.† The Volstead Act was a demonstration to boycott inebriating drinks, and afterward to manage the assembling, generation, use, and offer of high-proof spirits for other than refreshment purposes, and to protect an abundant supply of liquor and advance its utilization in experimental exploration and in the improvement of fuel, color, and other legal commercial enterprises. The issue was that the Volstead Act didn t particularly specify the genuine drinkingRead MoreNo Prohibitions, No Problem? Essay1199 Words   |  5 Pagesflailing industries. Prohibition caused many industries to decline, showed the deep seeded corruption of government officials and law enforcement, and generated a crime wave that propagated gangsters of the 1920s. The Eighteenth Amendment, the Volstead Act, and other laws like it provided loopholes that were easy for the savvy to take advantage of. Although many of the reasons for the passage of Prohibition were considered noble, most of the effects did more harm tha n good. Prohibition hadRead MoreThe prohibition was a period of about 14 years in United States history in which the manufacture,700 Words   |  3 PagesAmendment was added to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited the sale and manufacturing of liquor, was ratified. This Amendment was put into action across the nation January 16, 1920. This was followed by The Volstead Act (passed on October 28, 1919) clarifying the law. The Volstead Act stated that â€Å"beer, wine or other intoxicating malt or vinous liquors†. Owning any of these items was illegal and would result in fines and possible jail time. Many citizens were able to find loopholes in the lawsRead MoreFrom January 16, 1919 To December 5,1933, The Volstead1252 Words   |  6 Pages From January 16, 1919 to December 5,1933, the Volstead Act made it illegal to sale, manufacture, or transport alcohol. Although the Volstead Act was to stop drinking completely, it did just the opposite. People were willing to drink alcohol illegally which gave way to bootlegging, speakeasies, gangsters and organized crime.Mark Twain summarizes this time by saying, â€Å"Prohibition only drives drunkenness behind doors and does not cure it, or even diminish it.† Prohibition, by this timeRead MoreHow did the Prohibition Change the United States of America (USA)? And why was it a failure?1490 Words   |  6 PagesThe word Prohibition as stated in the World Book encyclopaedia refers to laws that are designed to prevent the drinking of alcoholic beverages. The enforcement of the Volstead Act in the United States of America (USA) saw the nationwide beginning of the prohibition on the 16th of January 1920. The Prohibition brought about a change in attitude for the people of the United States (USA). It caused an extreme rise in crime; encouraging everyday people to break the law and increased the amount of