Prohibition in the United States was a nationwide ban on the production, transport and sale of alcoholic drinks, established by the 18th Amendment to the Constitution and enforced through the Volstead Act. It was the result of decades of campaigning by temperance groups and was supported by many who saw alcohol as a cause of social problems. In practice it was widely evaded: illegal bars called speakeasies flourished, and organized crime grew rich on smuggling and bootlegging, with figures such as Al Capone gaining notoriety. Enforcement was uneven and public opinion turned against the law during the Great Depression. The 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition in December 1933.
Before and after
- 1920Construction of Douaumont ossuary
- 1920Christ the Redeemer
- 1920Establishment of Kootenay National Park
- 2 January 1920Birth of Isaac Asimov
- from 17 January 1920 to 5 December 1933Prohibition in the United States
- 19 January 1920Birth of Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
- 20 January 1920Birth of Federico Fellini
- 30 January 1920Founding of Mazda
- 2 February 1920Treaty of Tartu
More in Wars, politics & history
- 4 June 1917Pulitzer Prize
- 1919Paris Peace Conference
- 3 March 1923Time
- 30 September 1938Munich agreement
- from 1 September 1939 to 6 October 19391939 Invasion of Poland
- 1944Golden Globes
The era
This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.