The Reasons Behind the Passage of the 21st Amendment
This essay is about the reasons behind the passage of the 21st Amendment in 1933 which ended Prohibition in the United States. It explains how Prohibition failed to reduce crime and instead fueled organized crime and dangerous illegal alcohol production. The economic hardships of the Great Depression highlighted the potential benefits of legalizing alcohol including job creation and increased tax revenue. Public opinion shifted against Prohibition viewing it as an infringement on personal freedom. Political leadership particularly President Franklin D. Roosevelt played a crucial role in pushing for repeal. The 21st Amendment’s passage marked a significant shift in American social and legal history emphasizing pragmatic governance and individual liberty.
The 21st Amendment in 1933 was a big deal—it axed the 18th Amendment and ended Prohibition in the U.S. This was a major shift in how folks lived and what was legal. Prohibition started in 1920 aiming to cut crime boost health and lift morals by banning booze making selling and moving. But it flopped hard leading to a wild illegal booze scene run by gangsters like Al Capone. Bootlegging and speakeasies boomed along with nasty sometimes deadly drinks hitting the streets.
It was chaos proving Prohibition didn’t work and hurt society more than it helped.
Another big reason they killed Prohibition was the Great Depression. When the economy tanked in 1929 jobs vanished and money dried up. Legalizing booze looked like a way to bring back jobs in brewing farming and shipping plus rake in taxes to help out. People were hurting bad so lifting the ban got a ton of support from leaders and regular folks alike who just needed a break.
Public opinion was key too. By the early 1930s most folks saw Prohibition as a buzzkill on personal freedom. At first folks liked the idea to curb drinking pushed by groups who hated booze. But that vibe faded fast as people saw it as the government butting in where it didn’t belong. The shift was clear: let people decide for themselves if they wanted a drink or not.
Politics played a big part too. Franklin D. Roosevelt who took office in ’32 was all about axing Prohibition. He made it a big part of his campaign and when he won it was go-time. With a Democratic crew in Congress backing him up they moved fast to pass the 21st Amendment. It was a bold move showing they were ready to deal with real problems not just stick to old ideas.
Finally on December 5 1933 the 21st Amendment was in. It’s the only time an amendment has undone another one. They went for state conventions to ratify it fast a smart move to show folks were on board. People were all for it both in public and in politics making the end of Prohibition official.
In the end the 21st Amendment came from seeing Prohibition fail needing a boost from the Depression folks wanting their freedom and leaders ready to make big changes. Killing Prohibition didn’t just bring back legal booze—it showed America could face tough times with smart choices. It was a win for freedom and making things work better for everyone.
The Reasons Behind the Passage of the 21st Amendment. (2024, Jul 06). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-reasons-behind-the-passage-of-the-21st-amendment/
