When North America was beginning to be colonized there were many reasons for alcohol to be consumed. Water sources were sometimes unsafe and could even be fatal. Whiskey was also used to ward off the extreme temperatures in the winter, not to mention the flavor the alcohol added zest to the boredom of eating the same greasy foods daily. With the steady supply of sugar cane from the West Indies and the grain that was grown in the field out back, accessing liquor was easy to come by. Alcohol was prominent at any celebration, public or private, and especial

With World War I as a distraction, and proclaiming prohibition a suitable national sacrifice, Congress accepted the 18th amendment to the constitution. Many Americans who were not for prohibition continued to fight because the amendment still had to be ratified. However, by January of 1919 the amendment had been ratified by all states except Connecticut and Rhode Island. The 18th amendment became the amendment with the highest approval rating of all previous constitutional amendments. Now that prohibition had passed, what would be the terms for enforcement? The Volstead Act, introduced to Congress by Andrew Volstead, was vetoed by President Wilson but passed by Congress in October of 1919. The Volstead Act stated that “intoxicating liquor” was any beverage containing more than one half percent alcohol(“Prohibition in America” http://www.americanhistory.about.com…). For being found guilty there was an $1,000 fine or six months jail time(Collin 1526). Warren Harding supported the act and got it passed through the Senate, even though he was a big drinker(“Prohibition in America” http://www.americanhistory.about.com…).

Alcohol was produced and distributed illegally a great deal. Most people got their illegal alcohol from their local bootlegger while many distilled their own. It was easy to make and directions could be located on government bulletins. Many made “moonshine” which was fermented from grain, sugar beets, or potato peelings. The bathtub housed many stills during this time. The most prominent distribution method of illegal liquor was in the local speakeasies(Kyvig 815). A speakeasy was an “underground” bar usually ran by the Mafia and by 1925 there were over 100,000 of them in New York alone(“Prohibition in America” http://www.americanhistory.about.com…).

The stock market crash in 1929 caused many to turn to the booze. This was the final blow for prohibition, because when in time of need the bootleggers were making the money while the government could have been collecting alcohol tax(“Prohibition: The 18th Amendment and how

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