The Prohibition The Prohibition may have been one of America’s worst ideas for improving the United States. The Prohibition, or the 18th amendment, was set out to improve the lives of Americans, to protect individuals, families, and society at large from the devastating effects of alcohol abuse. But in reality that just made it worst. People were getting drunk more than they had before. It even got to the point where people actually started making their own alcohol. The Prohibition was a major fail for the United States, and turned most of the people against the government. On January 16, 1920, the 18th amendment was passed abolishing the making, transporting, drinking, and selling of liquor, beer, wine throughout the United States. This amendment also closed down the businesses that made and sold alcohol such as wine makers, wholesale sellers, distillers, breweries, and retail establishments like saloons. Closing down these stores may have been one of the saddest days in history. They treated the death of alcohol as if it were the death of a president. Everyone was sad, from the local homeless man to local harlot. This amendment made many law fearing men and women to die hearted criminals for their daily dose of alcohol. No one was settling for this rule, especially not the actual criminals; they did everything in their power to make sure there was no one who requested alcohol would go thirsty. Seeing this, U.S. decided to pass the Volstead Act. The Volstead Act was passed in October 1920, stating that any enforcement needed to apply to the 18th amendment was granted and any drink that was five percent or over that was intoxicating. The Prohibition was kind of popular after the World War I. People actually thought that it would help the poor so that their paychecks wouldn’t have a cut just to go to one of the saloons. Even some big named monopoly owners was all for the amendment. For example, John D. Rocketfeller and Andrew Carnegie. They supported it because they thought if alcohol was stopped then their workers would be more productive. Others believed that it would help the youth. Protecting the beautiful and innocent youth from the temptation of alcohol or other activities that involved saloons, like gambling and prostitution. But not all believed this; Fionello H. La Guardia, a congressman from New York, said it was a Failure. In 1926, La Guardia addressed the House stating the percentage of whiskey drinkers increased since the 18th amendment. “In Philadelphia, the police department said that intoxication and disorderly conduct showed that in 1919 arrests for intoxication numbered less than 224 thousand and by 1922 it doubled and by 1925 it reached 58 thousand.” (Hanson). They thought it there was nothing to do to get their sweet liquor back. But in fact they did know what to do; they found out how to make it their self. Homemade alcohol was about to start booming through the United States. These homemade alcohol recipes were mostly made from prunes, raisins, apples, potatoes or new products developed by California wine producers. From that the people started making Bathtub Gin, homemade alcohol fresh from the tub of their own home. This wasn’t a joke to the American people. They had to have their liquor one way or the other, and other won. Even for the people who didn’t have time or was just too lazy to make their own had another option. There was always a boat load of bootleggers, moonshiners, and rumrunners somewhere ready to help out and supply them. Bootlegging was selling, making or transported any alcohol based drink illegally. Bootleggers got their name from always carrying a flask of their homemade liquor and hiding it inside their boot for their customers so they won’t get caught. Moonshiners got their name for making their moonshine or liquor in the light of the moon. “Rumrunners were people who illegally imported liquor from boats that would be on the coast.” (Hanson). “In 1924,
