So, what is Prohibition?

  Prohibition is defined as 'the action of forbidding something, especially by law.' 

While this definition is true, both in general and in our case, we will be discussing the Prohibition era - which was a period from 1920 to 1933 when the United States banned the production, consumption, transportation, or importation of alcohol. 

Prohibition, although law with the ratification of the 18th Amendment, was in the works long before then and is actually a direct result of the Progressive Movement. Spearheaded by Protestants, Progressives, and women, Prohibition was seen as a way to combat a large number of America’s ‘social ills’ ,but it seemed to have a completely opposite effect - leading to the rise of organized crime and moral “looseness.”

“Prohibition was intended to improve, even to ennoble, the lives of all Americans, to protect individuals, families, and society at large from the devastating effects of alcohol abuse.” - PBS, Prohibition (Ken Burns)