Politics of Prohibition

The 1924 Democratic Convention between William McAdoo and Al Smith pitted rural versus urban America, and would set the stage for 1928.Learning Objective: Students will understand how the fight surrounding Prohibition revealed underlying tensions between rural and urban America.

From 1920-1933, the 18th Amendment to the constitution ruled the land. It prohibited the making, transportation, and sale of alcohol. The amendment grew out of the pervasive alcohol abuse, especially among men and immigrant populations, of the 19th century. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union and Anti-Saloon League politicized the issue, and the nation was divided between “wets” opposed to the amendment, and “drys” supporting it. Learning objective: Students will analyze how the fight over alcohol revealed larger societal tensions in American politics.

In the activities contained within this gallery, students will view video segments, identify and discuss differing viewpoints about immigration and alcohol in the 19th and 20th centuries. They will formulate arguments for debate on how to address the growing concerns over German influence and the prohibition of alcohol. Lesson Objectives: Students will: Discuss Americans’ concerns over immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and identify how these concerns became linked with the use of alcohol; Identify different viewpoints over immigration and alcohol and formulate arguments from different perspectives; Analyze and evaluate proposed legislation aimed at limiting the use of alcohol and limiting the German cultural influence on Americans; Debate the merits of the proposed prohibition legislation.

With the passage of the 18th Amendment, Prohibition became the law of the land. Learning Objective: Students will analyze the 18th Amendment of the Constitution.

Adolphus Busch was the leader of the Brewers Association. He threw himself in front of the Prohibition movement and held it off for as long as he could.

Fiorello LaGuardia was a Republican Congressman from New York, and critic of the Volstead Act. In 1926, he called reporters to the House Office Building in Washington, DC, where he proceeded to mix near-beer and malt extract together to make beer. He dared anyone to stop him.

Pauline Sabin, an heiress and Republican party official, began the Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform.