18 Amendment Research Paper

Words: 660
Pages: 3

“There'd never been a more advantageous time to be a criminal in America than during the 13 years of Prohibition. At a stroke, the American government closed down the fifth largest industry in the United States - alcohol production - and just handed it to criminals - a pretty remarkable thing to do,” according to Bill Bryson. During the 1920s, “Congress ratified the [eighteen] amendment.” The eighteen amendment prohibited “the manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors" This was huge in the United States because it created many problems. Prohibition was tough for people to accept it, while it was a struggle for the government to “enforce.” It was very hard for everyone because many people drank alcohol and having the government …show more content…
In the late 1920s, prohibition occurred in the United States. Everyone hated it and violated the eighteen amendment, and “argued that the ban on alcohol” was wrong and immoral. People were so mad that they created Americans Against Prohibition Association (AAPA). This organization was a group of people that were against the eighteen amendment, and together they were going to repeal it. As the time passed, everyone knew that the country was a mess. In 1932, the presidential elections occurred, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, a candidate running for president, promised the citizens that if he was president he will do anything to get the “repealing of the 18th amendment.” Because of this, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the presidency. In February 5, 1933, Congress proposed the twenty-first amendment. They stated that the twenty-first amendment was going to “repealed both the 18th amendment and the Volstead Act.” Now that the twenty-first amendment was proposed, it needs to be ratified in order to get into the …show more content…
After the twenty-first amendment was proposed, February 5, 1933, the government arranged state conventions so that the amendment could get ratified faster. It was done this way because it was the only way that it could be effective by “reducing the process to a one-state, one-vote referendum rather than a popular vote contest.” By doing this, the amendment will get ratify. In December 1933, Utah signed the amendment, “becoming the 26th state to ratify the amendment.” Because of this, the government got “the necessary majority for [the] repeal” to occur and have the twenty-first amendment ratified. In December 5, 1933, the twenty-first amendment was officially ratified and put into the Constitution. By having the twenty-first amendment proposed and ratified, the citizens were able to drink and sell alcohol