Prohibition In The 1920's

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Known as the “Roaring 20’s”, the 1920’s was a decade full of profound social, technological, and economic advances. People had recently gained a much more positive outlook on life and were looking to celebrate following the end of World War One. Cities were expanding and producing large amounts of goods. Jazz became a popular source of entertainment. Women's suffrage granted women the right to vote. Also, the new concept of buying on margin allowed the stock market to grow to an all time high. Things were looking good for America. However, many people saw the United States changing in undesirable ways as well, leaving society with some cultural conflicts. One of the biggest issues of the time was prohibition. The 18th Amendment was put in place by President Woodrow Wilson and became effective January 16th, 1920. The new law banned the manufacture, transportation and sale of intoxicating liquors. Initially, this movement was defended as a war measure. It was argued that grain should be saved to create bread for the fighting men instead of for making liquor. …show more content…
Obviously these people didn’t like the idea of prohibition and soon enough figured out a way around it. Paying no mind to the 18th Amendment, these people began making alcohol illegally. Those who distributed or produced liquor illegally were referred to as bootleggers. They either smuggled into cities or manufactured it on their own. One of the most common booze they made was called moonshine. Since the liquor was being made at home and not being made professionally, it was more unsafe to drink than before when it was supervised. Bootleggers were some of the most popular people of their time. They were the only source of liquor for enjoyment purposes. These bootleggers were very brave, they faced the chance of getting arrested. However, being a bootlegger was well worth the risk due to the high