America's Reaction to the Eighteenth Ammendment

In 1917 was the point in history where Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment to amend the Constitution which stated that it prohibited the export, import, manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States. This law sparked rebellion in American citizens across the nation; many people thought this law violated their right to live by their own standards. The implementation of the 18th amendment created a large number of bootleggers who were able to supply the public with illegal alcohol. Many of these bootleggers became very rich and influential through selling alcohol, gambling and using other methods. The prohibition era allowed for organized crime to flourish and these practices are still used today. Thus, Prohibition led to the rapid growth of organized crime.
The public reaction to the introduction of Prohibition was largely mixed. The prohibition era was thought of to be the end of alcohol in America and which would spark a new and greater society in America. People believed that it would drastically reduce crime and domestic violence that came with liquor. Stephanie Shaw the founder of 'Anti Saloon League,' and the 'Women's Christian's Temperance Union helped apply pressure on the men to become “dry” by often praying in front of saloons. These two groups both eventually helped convince Congress to pass the 18th amendment, thus the temperance organizations such as the WTCU were relieved to know that their mission goal was a success. However, not everyone saw it that way; they believed it was as a violation of their freedom of expression. When prohibition began, the public outraged, demanded for the ban on alcohol to be removed, if they couldn’t make it happen they would try alternate solutio...

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... funds that he had acquired from his bootlegging operations, he was able to ensure his friends were elected to certain political positions, which in turn, amplified his control over Chicago and which ensure his safety for soliciting money for his liquor.
Finally after a decade of prohibition Alcohol was finally made legal again by the Twenty First Amendment on December 1933. But the damage was done, Prohibition led to organized crime, as we know it today. Men like Al Capone got their start during Prohibition and were able to develop a system whose methods led into the Mafia and other ways of modern day crime. Organized Crime developed due to the restriction of alcohol and the only reason why crime grew in America was because the public allowed it. If the prohibition era never occurred then the gangs would not have been as powerful as they became to be.