Prohibition Flashcards
Which were the two groups that founded the movement for Prohibition?
The Women’s Christian Temperance Union (1873) and the Anti-Saloon League (1895).
How many states limited the sale of alcohol between 1906 and 1919?
26
How did WW1 encourage prohibition?
As a result of the fact that many brewers were German, groups suggested that it was patriotic to give up alcohol.
What was beer labelled during WW1?
“The Kaiser’s Brew.”
When was beer production first banned, and by whom?
By President Woodrow Wilson in September 1918 until the war ended.
Were there any organised groups to counter the prohibition lobby?
No, not prior to the introduction of prohibition.
When was the prohibition amendment passed?
It was ratified in Congress in January 1919.
What did the prohibition amendment say?
It banned the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors.”
What was the Volstead Act, and when was it introduced?
Introduced in 1920, the Volstead Act defined intoxicating liquors as more than 0.5% alcohol.
Which organisation was responsible for enforcing prohibition?
The Internal Revenue Service.
Where was illegal alcohol generally consumed?
In speakeasies.
To many Americans, did visiting a Speakeasy feel like breaking the law?
No.
What was the greatest flaw of prohibition?
It prevented the regulation of alcohol.
Where were the US’s predominant sources of alcohol?
Europe, Mexico, Canada and the Carribean.
Why was it difficult to prevent the smuggling of alcohol into the country?
Alongside a multitude of other factors, America’s vast, 30,000 km coastline was impossible to police.
What was a bootlegger?
One who produced or sold alcohol illegally.
What was Bathtub Gin?
Home-brewed gin.
What was a still?
A device for brewing alcohol.
What was Moonshine?
Illegally distilled or smuggled alcohol.
Who was a rum-runner?
Someone who illegally smuggled liquor across the border.
By 1930, how many speakeasies were there in New York?
30,000.
Who would the owner of a speakeasy have to pay off?
Federal Agents, Senior Police Officers, City Officials, and the actual police officers on duty when transactions were made.
By how much had deaths from alcoholism fallen in 1921?
By 80%.
By 1926, how many people had died from poisoned alcohol?
50,000.
