Prohibition Dbq Essay

The government in America just had prohibited intoxicating drinks as 80% of people supported it in 1919. At first, people thought that beer wouldn’t be banned by prohibition but they soon learned it was much stricter than expected. Then just 14 years later only 20% of Americans still supported prohibition. Why did America change its mind? The reasons why America changed its mind on prohibition is business, danger, and enforcement.

A reason why America changed its mind on prohibition is business. Cartoonist Winsor McCay drew a drawing of Uncle Sam dancing with 4 other men with gangster, racketeer, bootlegger, and dope seller written on their shirts. This is symbolizing how prohibition is promoting these things. (McCay document A). If the sales

The U.S. census published in 2008 showed how in the time prohibition was enacted, the homicide rates skyrocketed. Then, when prohibition ended in 1933, the homicide rates went down again. (U.S. Census document B). In cartoonist Winsor McCay’s cartoon, he drew about how prohibition promoted all sorts of bad habits, including how it promoted gang violence and dope selling. (McCay document A). This U.S. Census shows how alcoholics couldn’t cope with withdrawal or their depression as alcohol helped with that. This could have made them unstable and dangerous. McCay’s cartoon shows how prohibition has done more harm than help because it was promoting bad activities. With alcoholics going into withdrawal, they had to turn to dope to cope with it, so dope spread rapidly. This is why danger changed America’s mind on

Frederic J. Haskin wrote, “At all times, a rum fleet standing off or anchored outside the 3-mile limit near New York and New Jersey. This fleet consists of vessels of all kinds and sizes that bring their… cargoes from the Bermudas or the West Indies, or even from across the Atlantic.” (Haskin). He continued, As long as they remain outside the 3-mile limit this Government cannot interfere with them and they are able to make their deliveries to bootleggers that slip out to them under cover of darkness in motor speedboats.” (Haskin document C). Mabel Walker Willebrandt wrote, “The very men who made the prosecution law are violating it… Senators and congressman have appeared on the floors in a drunken condition.” (Willebrandt document D). Haskins article proves how easy it is to smuggle alcohol into the United States and that we can’t do much to stop it. Willebrandt showed how even in the very place alcohol was outlawed, it is still being sold even to the senators and congressmen who made the law themselves. This is why enforcement changed America’s mind on