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Prohibition Dbq Questions and Answers

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prohibition essay questions

prohibition essay questions

22 Winning Topics For An Argument Essay On Prohibition

The prohibition in the United States was repealed after just thirteen years. In that time, however, a number of topics were developed worth exploring in an argument essay. Here are 22 worth consideration:

  • Do you think the prohibition amendment was ratified in response to women activists who were seeking equal voting rights?
  • How did the estimate and apparent rise of alcohol consumption across the nation in the 1850s encourage the debate about prohibition?
  • How did prohibition lead to the rise of organized crime in major cities across the United States and could it have been prevented?
  • Do you think the United States should reintroduce prohibition or tax alcohol with a higher rate as a means to lower the amount being consumed?
  • Do you believe a prohibition law similar to the law passed in the early 20th century work today in your state?
  • Would prohibition or a similar law regulating the consumption of alcohol have a different effect in today’s society?
  • What are the biggest similarities and differences between prohibition and the War on Drugs? Do you think the U.S. learned from the results of prohibition?
  • What were the greatest social and economic effects of prohibition in the early 20th century? Did it influence the following decades in any way?
  • Why do think the Federal Government decided to regulate the consumption of alcohol anyways rather than impose higher taxes?
  • Did prohibition give rise to America’s bootleggers and moonshiners counter-culture in the United States?
  • Do you think the very act of prohibiting alcohol distribution and consumption promoted curiosity in people?
  • Was organized crime the biggest factor behind the bringing about the end to the prohibition era or were there other pressures?
  • What were the immediate societal and economic effects of repealing prohibition in the early 20th century?
  • How did F. Scott Fitzgerald deal with the issue of prohibition in his classic American novel “The Great Gatsby”.
  • Did prohibition lead to rise to other types of crime? And if so why do you think congress didn’t consider the relationship before passing the amendment?
  • Do you think the repeal of prohibition paved the way for the United States’ current societal push to legalize marijuana?
  • Do you think that if there had been a greater emphasis on enforcement of prohibition then the amendment would have been a success?
  • Do you think the amendment was repealed because of the rise of crimes or because of public pressures from normal citizens?
  • Do you think that the thirteen years in which prohibition was in effect was a failure largely because of lack of enforcement?
  • Do you think the lessons learned from prohibition posit support for legalization of all types of drugs in the U.S.?
  • Do you think that prohibition was destined to fail right from the start and that it may have only been a political ploy to gain voting support?
  • Which political group was the most responsible for the repeal of the prohibition amendment and did it lead to future success?

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Course: US history   >   Unit 7

  • The Nineteenth Amendment
  • 1920s urbanization and immigration
  • The reemergence of the KKK

Prohibition

  • Republican ascendancy: politics in the 1920s
  • The presidency of Calvin Coolidge
  • 1920s consumption
  • Movies, radio, and sports in the 1920s
  • American culture in the 1920s
  • Nativism and fundamentalism in the 1920s
  • America in the 1920s
  • Prohibition was a nationwide ban on the sale and import of alcoholic beverages that lasted from 1920 to 1933.
  • Protestants, Progressives, and women all spearheaded the drive to institute Prohibition.
  • Prohibition led directly to the rise of organized crime.
  • The Twenty-first Amendment , ratified in December 1933, repealed Prohibition.

The temperance movement

Enacting prohibition: the eighteenth amendment, repealing prohibition: the twenty-first amendment, what do you think.

  • Lisa McGirr, The War on Alcohol: Prohibition and the Rise of the American State (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2016), 11-13.
  • Daniel Okrent, Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. (New York: Scribner, 2010), 2-3.
  • Kenneth D. Rose, American Women and the Repeal of Prohibition (New York: NYU Press, 1997), 2-3.
  • See Karen Blumenthal, Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition (New York: Flash Point, 2011).

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Great Answer

Resources: Discussions and Assignments

Module 7 discussion: prohibition thoughts, questions, and epiphanies.

The Volstead Act, better known as the Prohibition Act, was central to the 1920s and had a significant impact on major social changes that took place during this time. For this discussion, you will explore primary and secondary sources about Prohibition in the 1920s.

Step 1: Carefully read and view this collection of primary and secondary resources.

  • Interview with Edward Behr, author of “Prohibition: Thirteen Years That Changed America”
  • 1922 Letter from J. O. Robertson to Henry C. Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture
  • Prohibition: A Case Study of Progressive Reform
  • The Neshoba Democrat, January 08, 1920

Step 2: Write a response which includes three elements: A thought, a question, and an epiphany. Each part is 1-3 sentences and should directly address the sources above. You are also encouraged to bring in your own resources

  • It is interesting that…
  • I now understand that…
  • In what ways…?
  • When the text says…do you think that…?
  • How do you think…?
  • When I read…I realized that..
  • A connection to current events I made is…

Step 3: Respond to two separate posts of two classmates. Your response does not need to respond to each element, however, it should continue to the discussion points and build on their response.

*You are encouraged to keep the discussion going. If a classmate agrees, disagrees, poses a question, or engages some new thoughts for you, respond to them in the discussion thread.

Discussion Grading Rubric

  • Discussion: Prohibition Thoughts, Questions, and Epiphanies. Authored by : Caileigh Abente for Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

prohibition essay questions

Was Prohibition a Success or a Failure?

prohibition essay questions

Two scholars debate this question.

Written by: (Claim A) David E. Hamilton, University of Kentucky; (Claim B) Johnathan O’Neill, Georgia Southern University

Suggested sequencing.

  • Use this Point-Counterpoint to have students analyze whether Prohibition was a successful reform movement by the Progressives.

Issue on the Table

Was prohibition a successful experiment that lowered the amount of alcohol consumed per capita and whose reputation for causing organized crime is greatly exaggerated by popular culture? Or was it a dramatic short-term failure whose regulations were largely evaded, contributed to the rise of organized crime, and failed to stop alcohol consumption in the United States?

Instructions

Read the two arguments in response to the question, paying close attention to the supporting evidence and reasoning used for each. Then, complete the comparison questions that follow. Note that the arguments in this essay are not the personal views of the scholars but are illustrative of larger historical debates.

Ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment to the Constitution in 1933 repealed the Eighteenth Amendment and ended the federal government’s 14-year quest to prohibit the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition had become increasingly unpopular after 1925 and even more so with the onset of the Great Depression after 1929. In their effort to undermine support for the “noble experiment,” prohibition’s opponents created two widely accepted myths. One was that prohibition had failed utterly to reduce levels of drinking. The second was that by encouraging bootlegging and an illegal liquor trade, prohibition had incited the creation of organized criminal gangs led by notorious bosses such as Al Capone. These gangs, critics charged, were responsible for a rise in deadly violence such as Chicago’s  St. Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929 .

Prohibition was surely losing public support in its final years, but repeal should not be equated with failure. In fact, prohibition achieved significant gains in public health. Furthermore, the claims that it was responsible for creating the business of crime oversimplify the story of the American criminal underworld.

To understand why prohibition was a success, it is important to realize that prior to national prohibition, levels of drinking had been climbing steadily for decades. From 1870 to 1910, annual consumption per capita rose from 1.7 gallons of alcohol to a peak of 2.6 gallons. This increase came about in large part because of the expansion of the brewing industry and the related surge in the number of saloons catering to working-class and immigrant patrons. The broad-based temperance reform movement asserted that these drinking levels were responsible for a host of antisocial consequences such as medical illnesses, premature deaths, alcohol-related psychoses, public drunkenness, worker absenteeism, and family disorder. Prohibition, in short, was a radical answer to a public health challenge in the United States, a country with no national public health system. The Anti-Saloon League and other prohibitionists insisted that only a new legal framework at the national level—rather than piecemeal actions by the states—could change private behaviors and mitigate drinking’s ill effects.

The results proved the prohibitionists right. Prohibition raised the costs of consumption, created legal risks for violators, and, in much of the country, helped create a widely accepted “dry” culture. Consumption of alcohol from 1920 to 1925 fell by 50 to 70 percent, and fell by 30 percent for the entire period of prohibition, which was the steepest decline in the whole of American history. As consumption fell, so did incidence of alcohol-related medical and health issues. Rates of cirrhosis of the liver dropped by 10 to 20 percent, deaths from acute alcoholism fell from 7.3 per 100,000 people in 1907 to 2.5 in 1932, and arrests for public drunkenness and rates of alcoholic psychosis declined as well. And, as the prohibitionists had hoped, wage earners altered patterns of consumption.

Even with prohibition’s repeal, its benefits continued. Consumption levels per capita rose after 1933, but it was another 40 years before they reached pre-prohibition rates. The slow return in drinking levels was rooted at least in part in cultural habits formed between 1920 and 1933 that acknowledged alcohol’s potential ill effects.

Prohibition was a public health triumph. Moreover, its supposed connection to a wave of violence and to forging sophisticated criminal organizations is doubtful. Large-scale  bootleggers  such as Capone, Johnny Torrio, John Colosimo, and Dean O’Banion had been involved in gambling, prostitution, trafficking in illegal goods, and bribery of police and public officials well before prohibition. With or without the Eighteenth Amendment, their gang-style lawlessness would have continued in the 1920s. Their prohibition-era fame was as much a creation of media sensationalism as it was of their bootlegging operations. There were deadly gun battles, but even these were not always tied to running liquor. For instance, the St. Valentine’s Day massacre, in which seven men were gunned down in a Chicago garage, may have been carried out to avenge an earlier killing and had no connection to Capone or to bootlegging.

Prohibition was a sweeping, drastic answer to public problems rooted in private behaviors. Ultimately, successful though it was, it could not sustain the broad base of support it needed to remain a part of American life, because Americans wanted to exercise personal liberty in deciding whether to drink and the government needed tax revenue from excise taxes during the Depression. The prohibition experiment was soon overturned. Congress passed the Twenty-First Amendment on February 20, 1933, and it was quickly ratified by the states in convention by that December.

Prohibition briefly displaced America’s traditionally decentralized oversight of alcohol consumption by combining nineteenth-century temperance moralism with twentieth-century progressive government regulation. Although prohibition did decrease the amount of alcohol Americans consumed, it failed utterly to stop that consumption. In the attempt, prohibition brought a train of consequences that quickly revealed it as a mistake that should be reversed. One clear measure of prohibition’s failure is that the  Eighteenth Amendment  (ratified on January 19, 1919) remains the only amendment to have ever been repealed, which occurred when the  Twenty-First Amendment  was ratified on December 5, 1933—a mere 14 years later.

The conceptualization and implementation of prohibition immediately produced problems. The Eighteenth Amendment outlawed the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors,” as well as their importation and exportation, but not their use. Neither did the  Volstead Act , the legislation Congress passed to enforce the amendment. Given the year-long delay between the ratification of the amendment and its taking legal effect on January 16, 1920, people had plenty of time (particularly wealthier people) to legally stockpile and then legally drink alcohol after it was prohibited. In addition, the Volstead Act defined “intoxicating liquor” as any beverage with more than 0.5 percent alcohol, effectively outlawing beer and wine. This surprised not only brewers and vintners, whose industries were all but destroyed without compensation, but also many everyday Americans. Many people thought that prohibition would affect only liquor distilleries, as had long been true of many state and local alcohol regulations. Finally, the amendment provided for concurrent enforcement by the federal and state governments. Prohibitionists assumed states would happily take up this considerable burden, which usually proved false. And although the federal government steadily increased funding for enforcement, it was never near enough to have actually ended the manufacture, sale, or importation of alcohol. Thus, the stage was set early for evasion, lax enforcement, and continued drinking.

A fundamental reason for prohibition’s failure was that it introduced into the Constitution—a document designed to establish the structure and relationship of government institutions—what, in essence, was a statute aimed at the personal behavior of individuals. Historically, such regulations, including the regulation of alcohol, had typically been undertaken at the state and local levels (where such regulation was returned after repeal). Consequently, a large portion of the population, perhaps a majority, regarded the one-size-fits-all prohibition of alcohol as unfair, unrealistic, and out of keeping with the customary American approach to the subject. Accordingly, Americans learned the hard way a basic truth about the nature of law: people must obey it of their own accord most of the time because universal enforcement is impossible, especially of an unpopular law. Such a law will be ignored and evaded. This, in turn, will undermine respect for law in general, which is bad for a republic dedicated to the rule of law and government by consent. These effects, along with the corruption and violence that attended the black market production and sale of alcohol, are precisely what occurred during prohibition. Moreover, the malapportionment of representatives in state legislatures favored rural and dry voters, which contributed to the successful ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment.

Large quantities of alcohol were smuggled in from neighboring nations by “bootleggers,” while “speakeasies,” or illegal bars, sprung up nationwide to dispense it. Organized crime took over these operations in several areas, often violently. Al Capone in Chicago was only the most famous face of this development, which prevailed in numerous urban areas. Organized crime further hampered enforcement of prohibition laws because prohibition agents, police officers, and local politicians often took bribes from criminals and then protected their illegal businesses. People routinely manufactured their own alcohol at home and also sold it to friends and neighbors. Those who could afford it got a prescription for “medicinal” alcohol, which was permitted under the Volstead Act. Unsurprisingly, the number of such prescriptions multiplied rapidly.

Although people consumed less alcohol overall, they spent more on it than before prohibition because of relative scarcity and black market pricing. The number of deaths directly traceable to alcohol consumption probably decreased, but the homicide rate shot up because of the violence associated with organized crime. It then decreased quickly upon repeal in 1933. Likewise, consumption of adulterated liquor could be dangerous. Throughout the period, people were poisoned, blinded, and killed by illicit alcohol. At the same time, the number of people incarcerated for violations of the Volstead Act increased so quickly that many jails and federal prisons were overcrowded.

Prohibition had quickly made America into a more corrupt and dangerous place, and the fundamental law of the Constitution was routinely violated and mocked. Americans soon came to their senses and recognized that the many failures of prohibition revealed it as a utopian folly that must be excised from the Constitution.

Historical Reasoning Questions

Use  Handout A: Point-Counterpoint Graphic Organizer  to answer historical reasoning questions about this point-counterpoint.

Primary Sources (Claim A)

Prohibition and temperance political cartoons. “Temperance and Prohibition.”  Ohio State University  website.  https://prohibition.osu.edu/gallery

Primary Sources (Claim B)

“18th Amendment. Prohibition of Liquor.”  National Constitution Center  website.  https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xviii

“21st Amendment. Repeal of Prohibition.”  National Constitution Center  website.  https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xxi

Suggested Resources (Claim A)

Blocker, Jack S., Jr. “Did Prohibition Really Work? Alcohol Prohibition as Public Health Innovation.”  American Journal of Public Health  96, no. 2 (2006):233–43.

Bruere, Martha Bensley.  Does Prohibition Work?  New York: Harper, 1927.

Burnham, J. C. “New Perspectives on the Prohibition ’Experiment’ of the 1920’s.”  Journal of Social History  2, no. 1 (1968):51–68.

Clark, Norman H.  Deliver Us from Evil: An Interpretation of American Prohibition . New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1976.

Dills, Angela K. and Jeffrey A. Miron. “Alcohol Prohibition and Cirrhosis.”  American Law and Economics Review  6, no. 2 (2004):285–318.

Eig, Jonathan.  Get Capone: The Secret Plot that Captured America’s Most Wanted Gangster . New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010.

Kerr, K. Austin.  Organized for Prohibition: A New History of the Anti-Saloon League . New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1985.

Lender, Mark Edward and James Kirby Martin.  Drinking in America: A History . New York: The Free Press, 1982.

Miron, Jeffrey A. and Jeffrey Zwiebel. “Alcohol Consumption During Prohibition.”  The American Economic Review  81, no. 2 (1991):242–47.

Rorabaugh, W. J.  Prohibition: A Concise History . New York: Oxford University Press, 2018.

Suggested Resources (Claim B)

Blocker, Jack S., Jr. “Did Prohibition Really Work? Alcohol Prohibition as Public Health Innovation.”  American Journal of Public Health  96 (2006):233–43.

Kyvig, David E.  Repealing National Prohibition . 2nd ed. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 2000.

McGirr, Lisa.  The War on Alcohol: Prohibition and the Rise of the American State . New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2016.

Thornton, Mark. “Alcohol Prohibition Was a Failure.” Cato Institute Policy Analysis No. 157. July 17, 1991.  https://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/alcohol-prohibition-was-failure

More from this Category

prohibition essay questions

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

In our resource history is presented through a series of narratives, primary sources, and point-counterpoint debates that invites students to participate in the ongoing conversation about the American experiment.

Prohibition

By Annie Anderson

Despite the national prohibition of alcohol from 1920 to 1933, Philadelphia earned a reputation rivaling Chicago, Detroit, and New York City as a liquor-saturated municipality. The Literary Digest described Pennsylvania as a “bootlegger’s Elysium,” with every city as “wet as the Atlantic Ocean.” The Quaker City in particular was singled out, by newspapers from New Haven to Newark, as one of the wettest and wickedest cities in the United States. Philadelphia and Atlantic City, New Jersey, a seaside resort town that served as a major port of entry for illegal liquor, were considered “open towns” during Prohibition—open in their defiance of liquor laws.

General Smedley Butler destroying a keg of beer with an axe

Prohibition began in 1919 with the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment , which made the production, transportation, and sale of alcohol illegal. Although the Eighteenth Amendment took effect nationally in 1920, several states enacted prohibition before then, including Delaware on March 18, 1918, and Pennsylvania on February 25, 1919. New Jersey ratified the Eighteenth Amendment on March 9, 1922. A confluence of social forces brought Prohibition to the national stage after nearly a century of Protestant criticism aimed at the supposed moral laxity induced by alcohol. In the early 1900s, the United States saw a rise in xenophobia against immigrants whom nativists associated with alcohol—especially those of Irish and German descent. Factions of the women’s suffrage movement propped up their claims to full citizenship by proclaiming a distinctly feminine moral authority, guided by temperance. Advocates of clean government and clean living argued that the elimination of the saloon would promote moral character and curtail the power that political bosses held. Prohibition encapsulated the Progressive Era ’s impulse toward reform.

Though drinking moved underground with the introduction of Prohibition, Philadelphians actually had more saloons and watering holes to choose from after the law was enacted. The supposed abolition of bars and liquor dispensaries allowed for the emergence of a black market economy regulated only by bootleggers. Journalists reported that Pennsylvania’s largest cities, including Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Scranton, showed no pretense of obeying the Prohibition laws. Philadelphia, meanwhile, was the worst Prohibition violator in the Commonwealth, allowing its citizens considerable ease and freedom to obtain intoxicating beverages. Philadelphia had long been one of the nation’s leading beer brewing capitals. Though some breweries switched to making “near beer” (a malt beverage with an alcohol content of less than 0.5%) and soft drinks during Prohibition, many continued brewing beer. Philadelphia police suspected and pounced on the illegal activity. Vice raids on dozens of brewers—including Esslinger & Son, Finkenauer Brewing Co., Liebert & Obert, Roehm Brewing Co., and Philadelphia Brewing Co.—turned up high-powered beer. Most Philadelphia breweries failed or were padlocked out of existence by the early 1930s. A city of nearly 100 breweries in the 1880s, Philadelphia had just 10 licensed breweries when Prohibition ended in 1933.

A Cyclical Pattern of Corruption

A city of two million residents, Philadelphia accommodated as many as 16,000 speakeasies during Prohibition. City officials, public servants, bootleggers, and consumers contributed to a cyclical pattern of corruption around the management and distribution of vice. Long before Prohibition, the Republican political machine used the police as a central tool in maintaining control over the city’s various districts. Philadelphia police officers, many taking bribes from bootleggers, prostitution houses, and other illegal entities, contributed to corrupt ward politicians who hand-picked police captains and provided job protection. One policeman estimated that politicians took one day’s pay per month from each of the 7,000 men employed as police officers and firefighters. While Prohibition did not invent corruption among political and law enforcement entities in Philadelphia, it exacerbated established patterns of misconduct. As the 1920s wore on, bootlegging gangs wreaked violent havoc on the city, while officials took a cut of their profits. In describing the Quaker City’s entrenched machine politics and lax law enforcement, journalists resurrected the nickname “ corrupt and contented ,” first used by Lincoln Steffens in 1903.

Police testing a new speedboat in 1925.

Philadelphia received help from the federal government twice in the 1920s to combat its Prohibition-fueled crime problem. The first intervention involved the appointment of General Smedley Butler (1881-1940), a decorated Marine, as director of public safety—the equivalent of police commissioner—in 1924. While running for mayor in 1923, Freeland Kendrick (1874-1953) pleaded with President Calvin Coolidge to release Butler from the Marine Corps to Philadelphia. Coolidge complied, and Butler, originally from West Chester, Pennsylvania, arrived in January 1924 with a mandate to clean up the vice-ridden city. Over the course of Butler’s first year in Philadelphia, police closed more than 2,500 speakeasies, compared to just 220 the previous year. While raids and arrests increased during Butler’s tenure, liquor law violators saw few repercussions. In 1925, of the 10,000 individuals arrested on the charge of conducting a speakeasy, only a few hundred were punished with more than a light fine.

Despite—and perhaps because of—Butler’s tenacity in pursuing Prohibition violators, he immediately clashed with Kendrick and the Republican political machine, including South Philadelphia ward boss William Vare (1867-1934). Butler left his post as director of public safety in December 1925. Many observed that his honesty and zealous commitment to enforcing Prohibition contributed to his speedy exit from Philadelphia. Upon his departure, Butler called Philadelphia the “cesspool” of Pennsylvania, and implored Quaker City citizens to demand honesty from their politicians.

A Crime Crescendo in 1928

Gangland murders, as well as Philadelphians’ continued disregard for liquor laws, reached a breaking point in the summer of 1928. Judge Edwin O. Lewis (1879-1974) charged the Special August Grand Jury with investigating organized bootlegging syndicates, gang violence, and police corruption. Investigators and journalists attributed twenty deaths in the year preceding the inquiry to bootlegging gangs vying for territory. Once again, the federal government intervened to help Philadelphia with its Prohibition-fueled crime problem. Prohibition officials in Washington ordered a unit of the Internal Revenue Service ’s intelligence department to Philadelphia to aid the investigation.

Members of the Special August Grand Jury

The grand jury revealed that hundreds of police officers received bribes for protecting bootlegging operations and illegal taverns. Twenty-four high-ranking police officers, each paid $1,500 to $2,500 in an annual salary, had accumulated $750,000 in assets amongst them. The grand jury’s final report found 138 police officers unfit for service, but failed to garner any indictments against the city’s organized bootlegging outfits.

Prohibition—like the prominent 1928 investigation initiated to curtail bootlegging, payoffs, and violence—proved a failure in Philadelphia, costly in financial and political terms, but also in human lives. One Philadelphia coroner noted that every day ten to twelve deaths from poison liquor, including denatured industrial alcohol improperly distilled, came to his attention. Still more deaths, including untold unreported or unsolved murders, resulted from the violence that sprang up between warring bootleg factions.

A Widespread Disregard of Prohibition

Philadelphians, like many Americans, disregarded Prohibition en masse. Despite the federal mandate, residents of the Quaker City continued to consume alcohol (legal), thereby spurring its production, transportation, and sale (all illegal). In the working class saloons of Brewerytown and Kensington , and the ritzy hotels dotting Center City ’s Broad Street , Philadelphians of divergent classes saw alcohol as social ritual and social fabric. Many advocates for repeal argued that this widespread lawlessness undermined American values, creating a nation of hypocrites. Other critics of Prohibition observed that a multitude of organized crime networks sprung up to control bootlegging, creating a dangerous black market business. Still others exposed Prohibition’s financial failings, an argument that gained potency after the stock market crash of 1929.  Prohibition was costly to enforce, and the government lost millions—if not billions—of dollars in liquor tax revenue. Organizations such as the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment, which counted several members of the wealthy Delaware Valley du Pont family as its leaders, worked to defeat Prohibition. With the passage of the Twenty-First Amendment in 1933, the Eighteenth Amendment mandating Prohibition was repealed.

Liquor laws in Pennsylvania—as well as a slew of South Jersey towns—harken back to an earlier era when temperance advocates held public office. Pennsylvania Governor Gifford Pinchot , a reform-minded “dry” politician, created the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board days before Prohibition ended so that the state would retain some control over the sale and distribution of liquor. Little has changed since Pinchot’s action; Pennsylvania is one of two states (the other is Utah) in which liquor is sold only in state-run stores. Though private retailers may sell beer, the state regulates when, where, and how much. Attempts to privatize liquor sales have met with a measure of popular and political support. However, resistance from the United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union , which represents liquor store clerks, and legislative gridlock have swiftly dissolved these efforts.

Annie Anderson is the senior research and public programming specialist at Eastern State Penitentiary and the co-author, with John Binder, of Philadelphia Organized Crime in the 1920s and 1930s (Arcadia Publishing, 2014). She received her M.A. in American Studies from the University of Massachusetts-Boston.

Copyright 2015, Rutgers University

prohibition essay questions

Smedley Butler Destroying Kegs of Beer

Library of Congress

Philadelphia received help from the federal government twice in the 1920s to combat its Prohibition-fueled crime problem. The first intervention involved the appointment of General Smedley Butler (1881-1940), shown here in 1924 destroying a barrel of beer. Butler was a decorated Marine who became director of public safety—the equivalent of police commissioner—in 1924. While running for mayor in 1923, Freeland Kendrick (1873-1953) pleaded with President Calvin Coolidge to release Butler from the Marine Corps to Philadelphia. Coolidge complied, and Butler, originally from West Chester, Pennsylvania, arrived in January 1924 with a mandate to clean up the vice-ridden city. Over the course of Butler’s first year in Philadelphia, police closed more than 2,500 speakeasies, compared to just 220 the previous year. While raids and arrests increased during Butler’s tenure, liquor law violators saw few repercussions.

prohibition essay questions

Smedley Butler

Major Smedley Butler, born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1881 and seen here in 1910, had a thirty-four-year career as a U.S. Marine. He participated in military action in China, Central America, France, and other countries, and later became a major general. In 1924, Butler was asked to serve as director of public safety for the city of Philadelphia. The city government was notoriously corrupt, and Butler, a man with high moral standards, initially refused. However, after President Calvin Coolidge requested his service, the general took the job.

During his time in city government, Butler made it clear that he was not on the side of corruption. He fired corrupt officers and ordered raids on thousands of speakeasies, closing or destroying many of the illegal drinking establishments. Though Butler cut crime rates and cleaned up the city, the attack on alcohol was too much for the city's political machine and the general fell out of favor quickly, resigning after only two years.

prohibition essay questions

Police Testing a New Speedboat in 1925

Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries

Over the course of Smedley Butler’s first year as Philadelphia’s director of safety, police closed more than 2,500 speakeasies, compared to just 220 the previous year. Butler’s tenacity in pursuing Prohibition violators extended to the waterfront, patrolled by a new police speedboat obtained at Butler’s direction and seen here during a test trip in 1925. Butler’s desire to stop Prohibition violations immediately clashed with Mayor Freeland Kendrick and the Republican political machine. By December 1925, Butler left his post as director of public safety and many observed that his honesty and zealous commitment to enforcing Prohibition contributed to his speedy exit from Philadelphia. Upon his departure, Butler called Philadelphia the “cesspool” of Pennsylvania, and implored Quaker City citizens to demand honesty from their politicians.

prohibition essay questions

Mayor Freeland Kendrick and Senator William Vare

While running for mayor in 1923, Freeland Kendrick (1873-1953), here on the left, pleaded with President Calvin Coolidge to release Smedley Butler from the Marine Corps to Philadelphia. Coolidge agreed, and Butler arrived in January 1924 with a mandate to clean up the vice-ridden city. Despite—and perhaps because of—Butler’s tenacity in pursuing Prohibition violators, he immediately clashed with Kendrick and the Republican political machine, including South Philadelphia ward boss William Vare (1867-1934), on the right in this photo from January 1927.

prohibition essay questions

Special August Grand Jury of 1928

The murders that jump-started the Special August Grand Jury of 1928 were those of Hugh McLoon and Daniel O’Leary. McLoon, a humpbacked little person who in the 1910s served as the mascot for the Philadelphia Athletics baseball team, managed prizefighters and operated a speakeasy at Tenth and Cuthbert Streets. When he was killed in a drive-by shooting outside his nightclub and O’Leary died in a revenge-style killing, Judge Edwin O. Lewis tasked the grand jury with probing the liquor trade and eliminating the banditry and thuggery surrounding it.

District Attorney John Monaghan (1870-1954), leading the investigation, publicly outed the well-known boxing promoter Max “Boo Boo” Hoff (1895-1941) as the “King of the Bootleggers." Monaghan padlocked more than 1,000 speakeasies and claimed to have closed every brewery and distillery in Philadelphia.

Though Hoff owned several well-known speakeasies and entertained the likes of Al Capone, he escaped a liquor charge.

The grand jury's revelations included detailed financial minutiae—high-level bootleggers had accumulated about $10 million in liquor racket earnings—as well as embarrassing testimony—Philadelphia Director of Public Safety George Elliott and several high-ranking police officers were on Hoff's Christmas gift list. As the grand jury's disclosures reached the press, Collier’s magazine noted that lawlessness was the price Philadelphia had to pay for what it wanted to drink. Indeed, a culture of desperado vengeance and violent intimidation around liquor trafficking saturated the city before—and prevailed beyond—Monaghan's ambitious investigation.

The Special August Grand Jury did not shift public opinion against Prohibition or halt bootlegging-related gang violence. Within three years of the investigation's close, one of the city’s most prominent bootleggers, Mickey Duffy (1888-1931), was slain in his hotel suite in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Infighting appears to have killed Duffy (his murder was never solved), as well as several underlings who grabbed for power in his absence.

prohibition essay questions

Celebrating the Repeal of Prohibition

This photograph, from December of 1933, shows a Philadelphia man and two women celebrating the repeal of Prohibition. Alcohol was illegal for fourteen years and when the passing of the Twenty-First Amendment repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, celebrations were held across the country. Though taverns were once predominantly male-dominated spaces, the desire to consume alcohol in secret forced men and women into close quarters together. After the repeal of Prohibition, speakeasy culture influenced the way men and women participated in nightlife. Many taverns ceased to be male only, and led to the modern bar of the twenty-first century, where men and women often drink and socialize together.

prohibition essay questions

Related Topics

  • Corrupt and Contented
  • Greater Philadelphia
  • Philadelphia and the Nation

Time Periods

  • Twentieth Century to 1945
  • Center City Philadelphia
  • Bootlegging
  • Children’s Aid Society of Pennsylvania
  • Great Depression
  • Immigration (1870-1930)
  • Police Department (Philadelphia)

Related Reading

Anderson, Anne Margaret and John J. Binder. Philadelphia Organized Crime in the 1920s and 1930s . Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Publishing, 2014.

Baldwin, Fred D. “Smedley D. Butler and Prohibition Enforcement in Philadelphia, 1924-1925.” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 84 (July 1960): 352-368

Funderburg, J. Anne. Bootleggers and Beer Barons of the Prohibition Era . Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2014.

Haller, Mark H. “Philadelphia Bootlegging and the Report of the Special August Grand Jury.” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 109 (April 1985): 215-233.

Kobler, John. Ardent Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition . New York: De Capo Press, 1973.

Leichtman, Ellen C. “The Machine, the Mayor, and the Marine: The Battle over Prohibition in Philadelphia, 1924-1925.” Pennsylvania History 82 (Spring 2015), 109-139.

Okrent, Daniel. Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition . New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010.

Pegram, Thomas R. “Brewing Trouble: Federal, State, and Private Authority in Pennsylvania Prohibition Enforcement Under Gifford Pinchot, 1923-27.” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 138 (April 2014): 163-191.

The Special August Grand Jury (1928), Committee of Seventy, Grand Jury Investigations, Box 7, Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center.

Related Collections

Eastern State Penitentiary , 2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia.

Independence Seaport Museum , J. Welles Henderson Archives & Library, Bill McCoy scrapbooks, Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia.

Philadelphia City Archives , Record Group 38: Inspector of County Prisons and Record Group 79: Philadelphia Police, 3101 Market Street, Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania State Police Historical, Educational & Memorial Center , 187 E. Hershey Park Drive, Hershey, Pa.

Temple University, Special Collections Research Center , Paley Library, 1210 Polett Walk, Philadelphia.

Related Places

Eastern State Penitentiary , 2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, imprisoned a number of bootleggers, including Mickey Duffy, Peter Ford, Francis Bailey, and Al Capone.

1321 Locust Street, the site of one of Max “Boo Boo” Hoff’s speakeasies, The 21 Club.

The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co ., 112 S. Eighteenth Street, Philadelphia, a speakeasy-style drinking establishment named for Max “Boo Boo” Hoff’s industrial alcohol firm.

Backgrounders

Connecting Headlines with History

  • Prohibition left lasting mark on national identity (WHYY, September 30, 2011)
  • Constitution Center to focus on 'American Spirits,' the Prohibition years (WHYY, July 31, 2012)
  • Could Pa. liquor privatization reignite this year? (WHYY, October 5, 2013)
  • Pa. State Police don't care if you're a bootlegger (WHYY, September 3, 2014)
  • Potable Power: Delaware Valley Bootlegging During Prohibition (Temple University Libraries)
  • Beer and Brewing History at Hagley Museum and Library
  • Brewed in Philly (Free Library of Philadelphia)
  • A Saint Guided By Spirits (Hidden City Philadelphia)
  • Ground Zero for Philadelphia Beer (The PhillyHistory Blog)
  • American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition (National Constitution Center)
  • Indomitable Spirits: Prohibition in the United States (Exhibit, Digital Public Library of America)
  • Renovations in Bella Vista Reveal Barber Supply and Bootlegging Biz (Hidden City)

Connecting the Past with the Present, Building Community, Creating a Legacy

Prohibition Research Paper Topics

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In this page dedicated to Prohibition research paper topics , we delve into the captivating era of alcohol prohibition in the United States. This abstract provides an overview of the content and aims of the page, offering students a glimpse into the comprehensive list of research paper topics, an insightful article on Prohibition, and valuable guidance on how to choose and write a research paper on this intriguing subject. Whether you are fascinated by the social, cultural, or political aspects of Prohibition, this page will serve as your guide in unleashing your potential to uncover its historical significance.

100 Prohibition Research Paper Topics

The Prohibition era in the United States, spanning from 1920 to 1933, was a transformative period marked by the nationwide ban on the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. This comprehensive list of Prohibition research paper topics is designed to provide students with a wide array of subjects to explore and analyze within this captivating historical context. Organized into ten categories, each consisting of ten topics, these research paper ideas will inspire students to delve into various aspects of Prohibition, including its social, political, economic, legal, and cultural dimensions.

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Origins and Impact of Prohibition

  • The Temperance Movement: Pioneers and Influential Figures
  • Prohibition Amendments: From the 18th to the 21st
  • Prohibition and Social Change: Women’s Suffrage and Beyond
  • Bootlegging and Organized Crime During Prohibition
  • The Repeal of Prohibition: 21st Amendment and Its Aftermath
  • Prohibition’s Influence on American Society and Culture
  • Prohibition and Public Health: Impact on Alcohol Consumption
  • The Volstead Act: Legislation and Enforcement Challenges
  • Prohibition’s Legacy: Long-term Effects on Alcohol Regulation
  • Prohibition and the Great Depression: Economic Ramifications

Prohibition and Law Enforcement

  • Prohibition Agents: Roles, Challenges, and Successes
  • The Rise of Gangsters and Mobsters During Prohibition
  • Prohibition Raids and Their Impact on Speakeasies
  • Corruption and Bribery in Law Enforcement During Prohibition
  • The Temperance Movement’s Role in Shaping Law Enforcement
  • Prohibition and the Creation of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics
  • Prohibition and the Formation of the Coast Guard’s Rum Patrol
  • The Role of Informants and Undercover Agents in Prohibition
  • Prohibition Agents’ Surveillance Techniques and Strategies
  • The Decline of Prohibition Agents after Repeal

Prohibition and Politics

  • Political Figures and Their Stance on Prohibition
  • The Anti-Saloon League: Prominent Advocates and Achievements
  • Prohibition Party: Formation, Objectives, and Influence
  • Prohibition and Presidential Elections: Voting Patterns and Impact
  • The Dry vs. Wet Debate: Political and Social Ideologies
  • Prohibition Advocacy in the Media: Newspapers and Magazines
  • Prohibition’s Influence on Political Campaigns and Propaganda
  • Prohibition’s Effect on Local and State Politics
  • The Women’s Christian Temperance Union: Grassroots Advocacy
  • The Role of Religious Groups in Prohibition Advocacy

Prohibition and Public Opinion

  • Public Perception of Prohibition: Support and Opposition
  • Prohibition and the Temperance Movement’s Public Relations
  • The Impact of Prohibition on Alcohol Consumption Patterns
  • Media Portrayal of Prohibition: Cartoons, Posters, and Advertisements
  • Prohibition’s Effect on Public Health and Social Welfare
  • Prohibition and Public Demonstrations: Rallies and Protests
  • Prohibition and Public Discourse on Individual Liberties
  • Public Sentiments Toward Bootleggers and Speakeasies
  • The Media’s Role in Shaping Public Opinion on Prohibition
  • Prohibition’s Impact on Immigrant Communities and Ethnic Groups

Prohibition and Culture

  • Prohibition’s Influence on Art, Literature, and Music
  • The Roaring Twenties: Cultural Expression and Rebellion
  • Prohibition and the Harlem Renaissance: Cultural Contributions
  • Flappers and the Changing Roles of Women During Prohibition
  • Prohibition and the Evolution of American Cuisine
  • Prohibition’s Influence on Film and Theater
  • The Birth of Jazz Age Culture and Its Connection to Prohibition
  • Cultural Icons and Personalities During Prohibition
  • Prohibition’s Effect on Sports and Entertainment
  • Cultural Significance of Prohibition in Modern America

Prohibition and Organized Crime

  • The Rise of Al Capone: Chicago’s Crime Boss
  • Bootlegging: Production, Distribution, and Supply Chain
  • The Role of Speakeasies in Prohibition Culture
  • Prohibition and the Mafia: Organized Crime Syndicates
  • The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre: Infamous Crime Event
  • Prohibition and the Rise of Gang Warfare
  • The Beer Wars: Rivalries and Conflicts Among Bootleggers
  • The Prohibition and Moonshine Trade in Rural Areas
  • Gangland Murders and Assassinations During Prohibition
  • Prohibition and the Formation of Crime Families

Prohibition and Social Reform

  • Prohibition and Women’s Empowerment: Changing Roles
  • The Impact of Prohibition on African American Communities
  • Prohibition’s Effect on Native American Reservations
  • Prohibition and LGBTQ+ Communities: Hidden Histories
  • The Temperance Movement’s Educational Efforts
  • Prohibition and the Promotion of Health and Hygiene
  • Prohibition’s Influence on Public Morality and Ethics
  • Prohibition and the Spread of Religious Revivalism
  • The Intersection of Prohibition and Social Justice Movements
  • Prohibition’s Legacy: Impact on Minority Rights

Prohibition’s International Impact

  • Prohibition in Other Countries: Global Perspectives
  • Prohibition and International Alcohol Trade
  • Prohibition’s Influence on Global Alcohol Policies
  • Smuggling and Bootlegging Across International Borders
  • International Temperance Movements and Prohibition Advocacy
  • Prohibition’s Effect on Cross-Border Relations
  • Prohibition and International Diplomacy
  • Prohibition’s Legacy in Global Alcohol Regulation
  • Prohibition’s Influence on Alcohol Consumption Worldwide
  • The Aftermath of Prohibition: Lessons for International Alcohol Policy

Prohibition and Economic Consequences

  • Prohibition’s Impact on the Brewing Industry
  • The Economic Costs of Enforcing Prohibition Laws
  • Prohibition and the Creation of New Industries
  • The Decline of Saloons and Bars During Prohibition
  • Prohibition and the Loss of Government Revenue
  • Prohibition and the Growth of Bootlegging Economies
  • The Economic Impact of Repealing Prohibition
  • Prohibition’s Effect on Consumer Spending
  • Prohibition’s Influence on Agricultural Practices
  • The Economic Legacies of Prohibition in Modern Times

Prohibition and Legal Perspectives

  • Supreme Court Cases and Prohibition: Legal Challenges
  • The Constitutionality of Prohibition: Legal Debates
  • Prohibition and the Right to Privacy: Fourth Amendment Issues
  • The Role of Lawyers and Judges in Prohibition Cases
  • Legal Loopholes and Workarounds During Prohibition
  • Prohibition’s Effect on Criminal Sentencing and Punishment
  • Legal Opposition and Advocacy Groups During Prohibition
  • Prohibition and Civil Liberties: First Amendment Concerns
  • Prohibition’s Influence on Due Process and Fair Trials
  • The Prohibition Era and Its Impact on Modern Legal Thought

This comprehensive list of Prohibition research paper topics provides students with a diverse range of subjects to explore within the complex and fascinating era of Prohibition. By examining various aspects of Prohibition’s origins, impact, politics, economics, social dynamics, and cultural expressions, students can develop insightful research papers that shed light on this transformative period in American history. The ten categories and their respective Prohibition research paper topics offer a wealth of opportunities to investigate the complexities and consequences of Prohibition, ensuring that students can choose a research area that aligns with their interests and objectives.

Exploring Prohibition Research Paper Topics

Prohibition, also known as the Prohibition Era, was a significant period in American history that lasted from 1920 to 1933. It was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. The 18th Amendment, which officially established Prohibition, aimed to address social issues, promote public health, and reduce crime rates associated with excessive alcohol consumption. This era saw the rise of speakeasies, bootlegging, and organized crime, along with heated debates over individual liberties and government intervention. In this article, we will delve into the multifaceted aspects of Prohibition, exploring its origins, impact, social dynamics, cultural expressions, and eventual repeal.

The Temperance Movement and the Push for Prohibition

The roots of Prohibition can be traced back to the Temperance Movement, a social reform movement that gained momentum in the 19th century. Advocates of temperance believed that alcohol consumption led to moral decay, domestic violence, and a range of social issues. Led by organizations like the Anti-Saloon League and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the movement campaigned for alcohol restrictions and ultimately influenced the passage of the 18th Amendment. The Temperance Movement’s influence extended beyond advocating for Prohibition, as it also shaped public perceptions of alcohol and its impact on society.

The 18th Amendment

Prohibition Becomes Law: In 1919, the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, officially prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors. This marked the beginning of the Prohibition Era, a time when the government attempted to regulate personal behavior through legislation. The amendment was a result of growing concerns about the negative effects of alcohol on American society and public health. It represented a significant shift in the role of government in shaping the behaviors and choices of citizens.

Social Impact of Prohibition

Prohibition had far-reaching effects on American society. It gave rise to speakeasies, illegal drinking establishments that flourished in urban areas, as well as an underground economy driven by bootlegging. Organized crime syndicates, like those led by figures such as Al Capone, profited immensely from the illegal alcohol trade. The enforcement of Prohibition led to unintended consequences, as it created new opportunities for criminal activity and corruption among law enforcement officials.

The Volstead Act and Enforcement Challenges

To enforce the 18th Amendment, the Volstead Act was passed, defining intoxicating liquors and providing guidelines for enforcement. However, the Act faced numerous challenges, including corruption among law enforcement officials, inadequate resources, and the difficulty of monitoring vast illicit networks. The limitations of the Volstead Act contributed to the rise of a black market for alcohol and the growth of organized crime, leading to increased violence and public safety concerns.

Cultural Responses to Prohibition

The Prohibition Era gave rise to a unique cultural expression, as people found ways to circumvent the law and continue consuming alcohol. Jazz-age culture and the emergence of the flapper persona embodied the spirit of rebellion against societal norms. Speakeasies became hubs of social life, where people gathered to enjoy music, dance, and camaraderie while defying the restrictions on alcohol consumption.

Opposition and Repeal of Prohibition

As the negative consequences of Prohibition became apparent, opposition to the ban grew. Economic hardships during the Great Depression further fueled calls for repeal. In 1933, the 21st Amendment was ratified, officially ending Prohibition. The repeal of Prohibition marked a significant moment in American history, as it reflected a shift in public sentiment and recognition of the limitations of alcohol prohibition as a social policy.

Legacy and Lessons of Prohibition

The Prohibition Era left a lasting impact on American society. While it did not achieve its intended goals of reducing crime and improving public health, it sparked discussions on the balance between individual freedoms and government intervention. The era also highlighted the potential consequences of enacting sweeping social policies without proper consideration of their implications. The lessons learned from Prohibition continue to resonate in modern debates over social and public health policies, as well as discussions on the role of government in regulating personal behaviors.

Prohibition in the Context of Modern Alcohol Regulation

Today, the Prohibition Era serves as a historical reference point in debates over alcohol regulation, drug policies, and individual liberties. The lessons from Prohibition have influenced subsequent approaches to alcohol regulation, with a greater emphasis on harm reduction, public health, and education. Understanding the complexities and failures of Prohibition has informed modern-day efforts to address alcohol-related issues through evidence-based policy-making.

The Prohibition Era remains a captivating and complex period in American history, characterized by its impact on society, culture, and politics. This article has explored the origins of Prohibition, the impact of the 18th Amendment, social and cultural responses, the challenges of enforcement, and the eventual repeal. By understanding the multifaceted aspects of Prohibition, we gain valuable insights into the complexities of public policy, individual liberties, and the role of government in shaping society. The Prohibition Era serves as a reminder of the importance of thoughtful and evidence-based approaches to social reforms. As we reflect on this chapter of American history, we recognize the significance of learning from past mistakes and successes to inform present and future decision-making.

How to Choose Prohibition Research Paper Topics

Selecting the right research paper topic is crucial for a successful and engaging academic project. When it comes to studying Prohibition, a fascinating and transformative period in American history, the abundance of potential research topics may seem overwhelming. In this section, we will provide you with practical guidance on how to choose Prohibition research paper topics that are compelling, relevant, and capable of offering fresh insights into this historical era.

  • Understand the Context and Significance : Before choosing a research paper topic on Prohibition, it is essential to understand the historical context and significance of this period. Familiarize yourself with the events leading up to the enactment of the 18th Amendment, the temperance movement, and the societal attitudes towards alcohol consumption. Understanding the broader historical context will help you identify specific areas of interest and potential research questions.
  • Identify Gaps in Existing Literature : Conducting a thorough literature review is a crucial step in choosing a research paper topic. Look for existing studies, books, and articles related to Prohibition to identify gaps in the current scholarship. These gaps can serve as valuable entry points for your research, allowing you to contribute to the existing body of knowledge and offer new perspectives on the subject.
  • Consider Different Perspectives : Prohibition is a complex and multi-faceted historical event that impacted various aspects of American society. Consider exploring the topic from different perspectives, such as political, social, economic, and cultural. For example, you could examine the role of women in the temperance movement or the economic implications of Prohibition on industries and businesses.
  • Focus on Local or Regional Impact : Prohibition had varying effects across different regions of the United States. Consider narrowing your research to focus on the local or regional impact of Prohibition in specific cities or states. This approach will enable you to delve deeper into the unique experiences and challenges faced by different communities during this era.
  • Examine Resistance and Opposition : Prohibition was met with significant opposition, with many individuals and groups openly defying the law. Investigate the resistance to Prohibition, including the rise of bootlegging, speakeasies, and the involvement of organized crime. Exploring the reasons behind the widespread non-compliance with the ban can provide valuable insights into the limitations of social policies.
  • Analyze the Role of Media and Popular Culture : The Prohibition Era had a profound impact on popular culture, influencing music, literature, and film. Investigate how the media portrayed Prohibition and its consequences, and how popular culture both reflected and shaped public perceptions of this historical period.
  • Explore the Repeal of Prohibition : The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 marked a significant turning point in American history. Consider exploring the events and factors that led to the repeal of the 18th Amendment, such as the role of interest groups, the economic impact of the Great Depression, and changing societal attitudes towards alcohol.
  • Incorporate Primary Sources : To add depth and authenticity to your research, utilize primary sources from the Prohibition Era. These may include newspaper articles, government documents, personal diaries, photographs, and oral histories. Analyzing primary sources can offer firsthand accounts and insights into the experiences of people living during Prohibition.
  • Consult with Your Instructor or Advisor : If you are struggling to choose a research paper topic, don’t hesitate to seek guidance from your instructor or academic advisor. They can provide valuable feedback, suggest additional resources, and help you refine your research question.
  • Stay Passionate and Curious : Finally, choose a research paper topic that genuinely interests you. Staying passionate and curious about the subject will motivate you throughout the research process and ensure that your work is engaging and insightful.

Choosing the right Prohibition research paper topic is an essential step in crafting a compelling and impactful academic project. By understanding the historical context, identifying gaps in existing literature, considering different perspectives, focusing on local impact, examining resistance and opposition, analyzing the role of media and popular culture, exploring the repeal of Prohibition, incorporating primary sources, and seeking guidance from instructors, you can select a topic that sparks your curiosity and contributes to the broader understanding of this transformative period in American history. Remember to stay passionate and committed to your research, and your exploration of Prohibition will yield valuable insights and a meaningful academic contribution.

How to Write a Prohibition Research Paper

Writing a research paper on Prohibition requires careful planning, rigorous research, and effective organization. This section will guide you through the step-by-step process of writing a compelling and well-structured Prohibition research paper. From formulating a strong thesis statement to presenting your findings coherently, we will provide you with valuable tips to ensure your paper is engaging and academically sound.

  • Develop a Strong Thesis Statement : A strong thesis statement is the foundation of your research paper. It should clearly and concisely state the main argument or central theme of your paper. In the case of a Prohibition research paper, your thesis statement should highlight the specific aspect of Prohibition that you will be exploring and the main conclusions you intend to draw from your research.
  • Conduct In-Depth Research : Prohibition is a multifaceted and historically rich topic, so conducting in-depth research is crucial. Utilize a variety of reputable sources, including books, academic journals, government documents, and primary sources from the Prohibition Era. Be sure to critically evaluate the credibility and reliability of each source to ensure the accuracy of your information.
  • Create an Outline : Organize your research and ideas by creating a detailed outline for your research paper. An outline will serve as a roadmap for your writing, helping you maintain a logical flow of information and a coherent structure throughout the paper. Divide your research into sections and subsections, each focusing on a specific aspect of Prohibition.
  • Introduction : Begin your research paper with an engaging introduction that provides background information on Prohibition and its historical context. Introduce the significance of the topic and its relevance to contemporary issues. End your introduction with a clear and concise thesis statement that sets the direction for the rest of the paper.
  • Body Paragraphs : In the body of your research paper, present your arguments and findings in a systematic manner. Each body paragraph should focus on a single idea or argument supported by evidence from your research. Use topic sentences to introduce the main point of each paragraph and provide smooth transitions between paragraphs to maintain the coherence of your paper.
  • Incorporate Primary Sources : To enrich your Prohibition research paper, incorporate primary sources from the Prohibition Era. Primary sources, such as newspaper articles, letters, speeches, and photographs, offer firsthand accounts and perspectives from individuals who lived during that time. Analyzing primary sources can add authenticity and depth to your research.
  • Analyze and Interpret Data : If your research paper includes data or statistical information, take the time to analyze and interpret the data accurately. Use charts, graphs, and tables to present your data visually and draw meaningful conclusions from your analysis. Ensure that your data is properly sourced and cited.
  • Address Counterarguments : A well-rounded research paper acknowledges counterarguments and addresses potential criticisms of your thesis. Anticipate opposing viewpoints and use evidence and logical reasoning to refute them. This will strengthen your argument and demonstrate the depth of your research.
  • Conclusion : Conclude your research paper by summarizing your main findings and restating your thesis statement. Reflect on the significance of your research and its implications for understanding Prohibition’s impact on American history and society. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion and focus on leaving a lasting impression on your readers.
  • Citations and References : Properly cite all the sources you have used in your research paper, following the appropriate citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, etc.). Create a comprehensive list of references at the end of your paper to give credit to the authors and researchers whose work you have referenced.

Writing a successful Prohibition research paper requires careful planning, thorough research, and effective organization. By developing a strong thesis statement, conducting in-depth research, creating a well-structured outline, and presenting your findings coherently, you can craft an engaging and academically rigorous paper. Remember to incorporate primary sources, analyze and interpret data, address counterarguments, and provide proper citations and references to support your arguments and give credit to the original sources. By following these steps, you will be well on your way to creating a compelling and insightful research paper on Prohibition.

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prohibition essay questions

Prohibition - Free Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

Prohibition refers to a period in American history (1920-1933) when the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcoholic beverages were banned. Essays on Prohibition might explore the social, political, and economic factors that led to the ban on alcohol, the impact of Prohibition on American society, or the reasons for its eventual repeal. Discussions might also delve into the cultural resistance to Prohibition, the rise of organized crime during this period, or the legacy of Prohibition on American alcohol laws and social norms. Analyzing Prohibition offers a lens into American social history, the unintended consequences of legislative actions, and the complex dynamics of public morality and individual freedom. A vast selection of complimentary essay illustrations pertaining to Prohibition you can find at Papersowl. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

The Great Gatsby and Prohibition

There was two different names for the 1920s. The first one was the Roaring Twenties. the second name was known as the jazz age. Prohibition is the illegal sale of alcohol. In the illegal commodity, prohibition created the black market. Prohibition created a market that became a battleground between warring bootlegging factions. The number of crimes increased by twenty-four percent. That was only thirty major cities during the prohibition that people did a study on. Prohibition was putting a ban […]

Riding with the Bondurant Brothers: Moonshine and Mayhem in the Prohibition Era

Let's turn the clock back to the roaring 20s and early 30s, to the hills of Franklin County, Virginia, where the Bondurant brothers - Howard, Forrest, and Jack - carved out a legend that still echoes in American folklore. These weren’t just any run-of-the-mill bootleggers; they were the Bondurant brothers, whose exploits during the Prohibition era turned them into something akin to folk heroes, or villains, depending on who's telling the tale. The Prohibition era was a wild time in […]

The Great Gatsby and Bootlegging

The American dream is a captivating bait that tempts, perplexes, and tricks young people from all over the world to exploit their own values and talents in America. The American dream is a swamp, which makes young people frantically struggle in working while bringing no fruitful achievements. Ultimately, only confusedness and disappointments remained in every dream seekers. “American investors defined the American Dream as ‘The belief that anyone can attain their own version of success in a society where upward […]

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Analysis of Unhealthy Alcohol Consumption

Harmful use of alcohol continues to be a global health issue that results in 3.3 million deaths (WHO, 2014). Alcohol consumption in developing countries is rising, as its increased risk of social harms, alcohol-related morbidity, and mortality persist (WHO, 2014). As a result, many countries make regulatory efforts to address the burdens of alcohol misuse. Alcohol policies that tend to be effective in developed countries need to be examined closely in low-income countries such as India. In the past three […]

January 20th in History

"January 20th is an important day in history. It is an important day because Prohibition took effect, the National Board of Censorship was created, the United States Senate allowed the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base, United States President Harry S. Truman in his inaugural address for a full term as President, and that the stock markets fall. Prohibition succeeded in cutting overall alcohol drinking, and use during the 1920s. Pre-prohibition levels stayed low until the 1940s. […]

Alcohol and Criminality

Alcohol Effects on Behavior of Adolescents and Young Adults that Leads to Criminality Alcohol was been made by fermented grain, fruit juice and honey as early as 2000b.c when the people of India created a drink, called sura from fermented rice (Olson 1985). Aboard the Mayflower, the Puritans brought about forty tons of beer and ten thousand gallons of wine as opposed to the only fourteen tons of water. These settlers maintained and had passed down their ideology of alcohol […]

The Impact of the 21st Amendment on American Society and Law

In the historical narrative of the United States, the impact of the 21st Amendment stands out as particularly transformative, both in societal norms and legal principles. Officially ratified in December 1933, this amendment marked the end of Prohibition—a period driven by a mix of moralistic zeal and unintended consequences. The 18th Amendment, which initiated Prohibition, aimed at purifying the nation from the perceived scourges of alcohol. However, its high ideals soon collided with harsh realities. Rather than eliminating vice, Prohibition […]

The 18th Amendment Simplified: Impact and Legacy of Prohibition in the United States

In the annals of American history, few epochs loom as large or provoke as much intrigue as the Prohibition era sparked by the 18th Amendment. Enacted in 1920, this constitutional amendment set the stage for a bold experiment in temperance, outlawing the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages nationwide. Yet, what began as a crusade against the perceived evils of alcohol soon morphed into a complex saga of unintended consequences, societal upheaval, and lasting legacies that continue to shape […]

Al Capone: the Infamous Gangster and his Criminal Enterprise

Renowned as "Scarface," Al Capone stands as a pivotal figure in the annals of American criminality. His appellation is indissolubly linked with the era of Prohibition, an epoch marred by the federal proscription of alcohol's production, sale, and transit. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1899 to Italian immigrant progenitors, Capone forged a notorious criminal hegemony that indelibly marked an era, culminating in his apprehension and subsequent confinement. Capone's foray into delinquency commenced at an early age, initially serving as […]

The Twenty-first Amendment: how America Said Cheers to the End of Prohibition

When America decided to turn off the tap with Prohibition, it didn’t just ban the booze; it sparked an era that was anything but dry. Speakeasies, moonshine, and a roaring underground market for alcohol defined the 1920s, while the law intended to cleanse society’s vices did anything but. The story of Prohibition's end, however, is not just about America getting its liquor back; it's a deeper tale of societal reflection, change, and the acknowledgment that maybe, just maybe, the government […]

The Impact of Prohibition: a Historical Analysis

Prohibition, a grandiose experiment etched into the annals of American history, remains a captivating tale of societal transformation and unintended consequences. Emerging from the fervent temperance movement of the early 20th century, it bore the lofty goal of curbing the perceived ills of alcohol consumption, yet its legacy is a tapestry woven with complexities and contradictions. The dawn of Prohibition in 1920 cast a shadow over American society, altering the very fabric of social interactions and cultural norms. Once bustling […]

The 21st Amendment: Repealing Prohibition and Restoring Choice

The 21st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States occupies a singular position in the annals of American legislative history, standing as the sole amendment to annul a preceding one, notably the 18th Amendment, which had imposed the prohibition of alcohol. Enshrined on December 5, 1933, it signaled the cessation of a contentious epoch in American societal evolution, thereby concluding the era characterized by Prohibition. This treatise delves into the backdrop, ramifications, and enduring repercussions of the 21st Amendment, […]

Prohibition’s and its Lasting Effects on America

The epoch of Prohibition in the United States, spanning from 1920 to 1933 under the 18th Amendment, remains one of the most captivating and intricate chapters in American history. This period, often idealized for its speakeasies and jazz, had profound and extensive repercussions on society that extended well beyond the mere ban on alcohol production, sale, and transport. The ramifications of Prohibition permeated various facets of American life, encompassing social behaviors, cultural norms, economic activities, and the very essence of […]

Prohibition’s Legacy: the 18th Amendment’s Wild Ride

When the 18th Amendment hit the scene, officially stamped into existence by Congress on December 18, 1917, and getting the final nod on January 16, 1919, it was like the U.S. decided to throw the ultimate curveball at its citizens. Picture this: a country that had been pretty okay with its breweries and saloons suddenly decides, "Let's call it quits on booze." The goal? To clean up the supposed mess that alcohol had been stirring in society—crime, poverty, you name […]

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Essay Samples on Prohibition

Al capone as a important figure in the criminal and mobster history.

Al Capone: the man, the myth, the mobster. Al Capone is one of the most known mob bosses in America, but we look at him like a fictional character. We see him as a bad guy that was finally caught by the good guys and...

  • Prohibition

A Newfound Prohibition of Drinking Before the Legal Age

There are many monumental ages in a person’s life. When you turn thirteen you are a teenager, at sixteen you can get your license, when you turn eighteen you are officially an adult, and at the age of twenty-one, you are of the legal age...

  • Legal Drinking Age

Prohibition of Usury in Quran and Islam

Abstract The main aim of this article is to study and find out more about the prohibition of usury. Muslims are prohibited from taking any kind of usury. Usury has obviously been banned without any disagreement by scholars. There are some Quran verses and hadith...

The History And Consequences Of Prohibition

One night in January 1826, Reverend Beecher found out that a friend died from alcohol poisoning. Beecher heard the same stories before about jobs being lost, life savings wiped, and women and children beaten because of alcohol. Beecher wrote a sermon about temperance. Due to...

  • Alcohol Law

The Impact Of Alcohol Prohibition On Canada

I chose the prohibition as my historical event because it was like an experiment gone bad. But it did have a great effect on the present and the time after the prohibition. It occurred at different times in different provinces in the early 1900’s. Prohibition...

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Best topics on Prohibition

1. Al Capone as a Important Figure in the Criminal and Mobster History

2. A Newfound Prohibition of Drinking Before the Legal Age

3. Prohibition of Usury in Quran and Islam

4. The History And Consequences Of Prohibition

5. The Impact Of Alcohol Prohibition On Canada

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  1. Prohibition Dbq Questions and Answers

    Prohibition Dbq Questions and Answers. Prohibition was a fascinating and controversial period in American history, spanning from 1920 to 1933, during which the production, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages were prohibited. It was a time of significant social, cultural, and economic change, and the subject of much debate even to this ...

  2. PDF THE RISE and FALL OF PROHIBITION

    PROHIBITION PICTIONARY Use your skills to get classmates to identify and define which Prohibition Era term you draw. ... essays at three levels: 10-12th grade (1100 words) 8-9th grade (800 words) 6-7th grade (500 words) ... QUESTIONS. Developed in ...

  3. List Of Great Topics For An Argument Essay On Prohibition

    The prohibition in the United States was repealed after just thirteen years. In that time, however, a number of topics were developed worth exploring in an argument essay. Here are 22 worth consideration: Do you think the prohibition amendment was ratified in response to women activists who were seeking equal voting rights?

  4. Prohibition Questions and Answers

    Prohibition Questions and Answers - Discover the eNotes.com community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on Prohibition ... Start an essay ...

  5. Prohibition (article)

    Prohibition was a nationwide ban on the sale and import of alcoholic beverages that lasted from 1920 to 1933. Protestants, Progressives, and women all spearheaded the drive to institute Prohibition. Prohibition led directly to the rise of organized crime. The Twenty-first Amendment, ratified in December 1933, repealed Prohibition.

  6. Module 7 Discussion: Prohibition Thoughts, Questions, and Epiphanies

    For this discussion, you will explore primary and secondary sources about Prohibition in the 1920s. Step 1: Carefully read and view this collection of primary and secondary resources. Step 2: Write a response which includes three elements: A thought, a question, and an epiphany. Each part is 1-3 sentences and should directly address the sources ...

  7. Toast the Constitution: Prohibition Resources

    The Rise and Fall of Prohibition Essay. Beginning in 1920, the Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol, but the idea of controls on alcohol began more than a century earlier. Eventually, religious groups, politicians, and social organizations advocated for total abolition of alcohol, leading to Prohibition.

  8. Was Prohibition a Success or a Failure?

    To understand why prohibition was a success, it is important to realize that prior to national prohibition, levels of drinking had been climbing steadily for decades. From 1870 to 1910, annual consumption per capita rose from 1.7 gallons of alcohol to a peak of 2.6 gallons. This increase came about in large part because of the expansion of the ...

  9. PDF Prohibition Lesson Plan Central Historical Question

    Plan of Instruction: 1. Have students read sections 1 and 2 of the 18th Amendment and answer the accompanying questions. Ask students to share out their responses and check for understanding of the 18th Amendment. 2. Introduction: Use Prohibition PowerPoint to establish background information and introduce the Central Historical Question. a.

  10. PDF Chapter 22 DBQ--Prohibition

    CHAPTER 22. Directions: The following question requires you to construct a coherent essay that integrates your inter-pretation of Documents A-Q and your knowledge of the period referred to in the position. High scores will be earned only by essays that both cite key pieces of evidence from the documents and draw on out-side knowledge of the period.

  11. Prohibition

    Prohibition. By Annie Anderson. Despite the national prohibition of alcohol from 1920 to 1933, Philadelphia earned a reputation rivaling Chicago, Detroit, and New York City as a liquor-saturated municipality. The Literary Digest described Pennsylvania as a "bootlegger's Elysium," with every city as "wet as the Atlantic Ocean.".

  12. Prohibition DBQ

    bjb background essay prohibition prohibition: why did america change lts mind? on december i7, l917, the house of representatives voted 282 to 128 to approve. Skip to document. ... How does Document C help answer the question: Prohibition: Why didAmerica change its mind? O 2009 The DBQ Project This page may be reproduced for classroom use 101 ...

  13. Dbq Essay About Prohibition

    Dbq Essay About Prohibition. America changed its mind about prohibition for many reasons. Some were for the better, and most were for the worse. Prohibition lasted a long time and it brought out the worst in our country. More gangs were created, more violence, and more crime, all because alcohol was banned. During prohibition many bad things ...

  14. Prohibition Essay

    Prohibition and the war on drug were agendas in an attempt to control deviant behavior deemed to be violations of social norms. The era of prohibition although considered a failure, did have a lasting positive social change. For instance, after repealing the 18th amendment in 1933, alcohol consumption remind relatively low until 1970s.

  15. Prohibition Research Paper Topics

    100 Prohibition Research Paper Topics. The Prohibition era in the United States, spanning from 1920 to 1933, was a transformative period marked by the nationwide ban on the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. This comprehensive list of Prohibition research paper topics is designed to provide students with a wide array ...

  16. Prohibition Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

    14 essay samples found. Prohibition refers to a period in American history (1920-1933) when the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcoholic beverages were banned. Essays on Prohibition might explore the social, political, and economic factors that led to the ban on alcohol, the impact of Prohibition on American society, or the reasons ...

  17. Prohibition Essay examples

    Prohibition Essay examples. Prohibition had become an issue long before its eventual induction as the 18th amendment in 1920. Organizations came about for the sole purpose of an alcohol free America. In 1833, an estimated one million Americans belonged to some type of temperance association (Behr 12). Many believed the absence of alcohol would ...

  18. Prohibition Essays: Examples, Topics, & Outlines

    Prohibition quickly produced bootleggers, speakeasies, moonshine, bathtub gin, and rum runners smuggling supplies of alcohol across state lines. In 1927, there were an estimated 30,000 illegal speakeasies -- twice the number of legal bars before Prohibition. Many people made beer and wine at home.

  19. Prohibition Essays: Samples & Topics

    The History And Consequences Of Prohibition. One night in January 1826, Reverend Beecher found out that a friend died from alcohol poisoning. Beecher heard the same stories before about jobs being lost, life savings wiped, and women and children beaten because of alcohol. Beecher wrote a sermon about temperance.

  20. Repeal of Prohibition

    Footnotes Jump to essay-1 U.S. Const. amend. XXI, § 1; see Intro.3.5 Early Twentieth Century Amendment s (Sixteenth Through Twenty-Second Amendment s). Jump to essay-2 291 U.S. 217, 222 (1934). Jump to essay-3 Id. The Court also noted that [t]he Twenty-First Amendment contained no saving clause as to prosecutions for offenses [committed before its adoption].