Name ___________________________________ Date ____ Essays (833 words)

Name ___________________________________ Date ________________ Class _______________ Real-Life Health: Cross-Curriculum The sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States is regulated by state and local government agencies. Laws regulate who can purchase alcohol, where alcohol can be sold, and when alcohol may be purchased. The passage below discusses the period in United States history when the federal government placed a legal ban on the manufacture and sale of all alcoholic beverages. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. American Prohibition The earliest prohibition movements recorded in the United States were in the 1700s. However, governments in the early American colonies had little success in banning or limiting the use of alcoholic beverages. In fact, by the early 1800s, the average consumption of alcohol per year was seven gallons of pure alcohol per person. As more and more people began to believe that alcohol was partly to blame for increasing rates of crime, poverty, and violence, public support for a ban on alcohol manufacture and consumption grew. In 1851, Maine became the first state to pass a law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages, although it did permit the production of alcohol intended for medical or mechanical uses. By 1855 13 of the 31 states had passed similar laws.By the time of the Civil War, however, many of these laws were modified or repealed. Saloons, establishments that specifically catered to the consumption of alcohol, sprang up around the country. Many saloons also permitted gambling, prostitution, and violence.With the spread of saloons in the late 1800s and early 1900s, public opinion once again supported stricter regulation of the sale of intoxicating beverages. By 1916 23 of the 48 states adopted laws against saloons. In 1919 the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified. It prohibited "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors."In order to enforce the new amendment, the National Prohibition Act was passed. This law forbade the manufacture or sale of beverages with an alcoholic content of more than 0.5 percent, except for those made and sold for religious, medicinal, or industrial purposes. However, without enough money to enforce the new law, the Prohibition era was largely unregulated.People disagree about Prohibition's effects on America. Much of the literature or movies about this period emphasize the growth of organized crime, the proliferation of illegal saloons (called "speakeasies"), and the increasing popularity of the gangster in American culture. However, many historians believe that this picture of America during Prohibition is a distortion of fact. They say that the majority of Americans not only respected and followed the law but also believed that it was a necessary action to reduce the incidence of drunkenness and alcohol-related crime.By the late 1920s, more and more Americans grew disillusioned with Prohibition. The increasing urbanization and industrialization of the country contributed to the growing view that a new society was developinga society in which the prohibition of alcohol seemed less important than the protection of individual freedoms. In 1933 the 21st Amendment to the Constitution repealed the 18th Amendment and Prohibition ended. After repeal the control of the manufacture and sale of liquor became a state responsibility. UNIT 7 LESSON 37 Choosing an Alcohol-Free Lifestyle 25 What is the definition of the wordprohibition?(Use a dictionary to help you answer this question.) Why is this a suitable name for the period of American history described in the passage? The act of forbidding something by law. It is a suitable name, because the period occurred as a means to ban alcohol. When were the first widespread movements toward Prohibition in the United States? Were they successful? In the 1700s, though they were unsuccessful. What prompted the ratification of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution? Due to the popularity of saloons, which encouraged violence, prostitution, and other immoral things, and, the people thought it time to put an end to them. What are two different views about the effects Prohibition had on American society? Caused a large spike in organized crime, as well as the creation of speakeasies. Other opinions stated that many Americans respected the law, and it was caused due to a worry of alcohol induced crime. What led to the repeal of the 18th Amendment? The industrialization