The 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1919, established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages. It aimed to reduce crime and corruption and improve health and hygiene by prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors.
However, prohibition led to various unintended consequences, including a rise in organized crime, speakeasies (illegal bars), and an overall disregard for the law regarding alcohol consumption. The negative social and economic impacts of prohibition, combined with the Great Depression, eventually led to widespread support for its repeal.
The 18th Amendment was effectively repealed by the 21st Amendment, which was ratified on December 5, 1933. The 21st Amendment ended prohibition and reinstated the legal sale and consumption of alcohol, marking a significant shift in American social policy.
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