The Roots of Prohibition

These flashcards cover key concepts and events related to the period of Prohibition in the United States, including the laws, organizations, and societal impacts surrounding it.

What was the main law that banned alcohol in the United States from 1920 to 1930?

• A) The 16th Amendment
• B) The 18th Amendment
• C) The 19th Amendment
• D) The 21st Amendment

B) The 18th Amendment

What is the Volstead Act?

• A) A law promoting the export of alcohol to Europe
• B) A restrictive act enacted to enforce the 18th Amendment, banning all alcoholic beverages over 0.5\% alcohol by volume
• C) A bill that legalized the private sale of wine
• D) An act that provided funding for public saloons

B) A restrictive act enacted to enforce the 18th Amendment, banning all alcoholic beverages over 0.5\% alcohol by volume

Which groups were instrumental in the Prohibition movement?

• A) The Anti-Saloon League, the Prohibition Party, and the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)
• B) The American Liberty League and the AFL-CIO
• C) The National Brewers Association and the Whiskey Ring
• D) The NAACP and the Urban League

A) The Anti-Saloon League, the Prohibition Party, and the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)

What was the main reason behind the establishment of Prohibition?

• A) To reduce grain consumption during an agricultural crisis
• B) Concerns about public drunkenness and the belief that alcohol was causing societal problems
• C) To encourage the development of the soft drink industry
• D) To create a new source of tax revenue through licenses

B) Concerns about public drunkenness and the belief that alcohol was causing societal problems

What exceptions were made during Prohibition regarding alcohol?

• A) Commercial sales in hotels and airports
• B) Self-made alcohol for personal use and medicinal alcohol allowed by prescription
• C) Alcohol served at official political conventions
• D) Sale of low-alcohol beer in grocery stores

B) Self-made alcohol for personal use and medicinal alcohol allowed by prescription

When was the 18th Amendment ratified?

• A) January 16, 1919
• B) October 24, 1929
• C) July 4, 1918
• D) December 5, 1933

A) January 16, 1919

Which two states did not ratify the 18th Amendment?

• A) New York and New Jersey
• B) Connecticut and Rhode Island
• C) Texas and Florida
• D) Maine and Vermont

B) Connecticut and Rhode Island

What role did the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) play in the Prohibition movement?

• A) They managed the distribution of medicinal alcohol
• B) They focused on activism and public education to protect families from the dangers of alcohol
• C) They were the leading group lobbying for the repeal of Prohibition
• D) They provided security for legal distilleries

B) They focused on activism and public education to protect families from the dangers of alcohol

What was the final outcome of the 18th Amendment?

• A) It was made permanent in 1940
• B) It was struck down by the Supreme Court
• C) It was repealed by the 21st Amendment on December 5, 1933
• D) It was replaced by the Volstead Act

C) It was repealed by the 21st Amendment on December 5, 1933

Who vetoed the bill for the 18th Amendment and what happened to the veto?

• A) President Roosevelt vetoed it; the veto was sustained
• B) President Wilson vetoed it, but the veto was quickly overturned
• C) President Taft vetoed it; the bill was sent back for revision
• D) President Harding vetoed it; the veto was ignored by the states

B) President Wilson vetoed it, but the veto was quickly overturned