Thinking Like a Historian
Change and Continuity: Before-1920s
The laws of alcohol has changed. Before the 1920s, there were no laws against it, but after the 1920s, alcohol became illegal with the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act. At first the government did little to stop the illegal activities of drinking alcohol, but later they tried harder to stop it, but there was little they could do in some cases. Although the laws of alcohol changed, what had not changed was that people still drank alcohol. In fact, during this time, more women drank alcohol that what they had before it was illegal. Although there were laws, people still were able to drink alcohol with speakeasies and bootleggers. Speakeasies and bootleggers benefited the most from this movement, though, because it allowed more business for them. Speakeasies were bars or nightclubs that sold alcohol illegally. During the Prohibition, people that owned speakeasies made good money because many men and women went to these clubs for the alcohol and were willing to pay high prices for it. Bootleggers also benefited from these laws because they also made more money. Bootleggers were people that manufacture, sold, and transported alcohol during the Prohibition. They benefited from these laws because they were able to make money from selling or transporting alcohol. People, one again, were willing to pay high prices for their alcohol, and bootleggers provided it. The government, however, did not benefit from the law. Although it was their law to begin with, it was bad for them because people just broke the law over and over again. This gave the impression that the government could not do anything to stop citizens from breaking the law. It made the government look bad in the end and that was not good for its reputation.
Change and Continuity: 1920s-Today
Again, the laws of alcohol have changed. In some ways they have become less strict because alcohol is no linger illegal, but in other ways it has become more strict in the sense that people have to be 21 or older to drink. With this law, the government is more successful because the people that want to drink can and they just restricted alcohol to kids. What has stayed the same, though, is the reasons of restricting alcohol to some. The government wanted to make alcohol illegal to all before the Prohibition because it was causing harm. In that time it was mainly domestic abuse from alcohol. Today, the government wants alcohol to stay illegal to people under 21 because they believed it was a privilege and people under 21 were not showing the maturity of being able to drink. Society has benefited from the change because people that want to drink can now. Society in a way is safer because citizens are not breaking the law as much to get alcohol. Now, the law is more respected. People who have not benefited from this change are the people that wanted alcohol to be illegal altogether. They believed that alcohol was evil and caused society to be evil. The Prohibition was a good time for them because the thing that they hated the most was illegal: alcohol. Today, they would be very unhappy to see that once again, alcohol is legal to drink.
The laws of alcohol has changed. Before the 1920s, there were no laws against it, but after the 1920s, alcohol became illegal with the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act. At first the government did little to stop the illegal activities of drinking alcohol, but later they tried harder to stop it, but there was little they could do in some cases. Although the laws of alcohol changed, what had not changed was that people still drank alcohol. In fact, during this time, more women drank alcohol that what they had before it was illegal. Although there were laws, people still were able to drink alcohol with speakeasies and bootleggers. Speakeasies and bootleggers benefited the most from this movement, though, because it allowed more business for them. Speakeasies were bars or nightclubs that sold alcohol illegally. During the Prohibition, people that owned speakeasies made good money because many men and women went to these clubs for the alcohol and were willing to pay high prices for it. Bootleggers also benefited from these laws because they also made more money. Bootleggers were people that manufacture, sold, and transported alcohol during the Prohibition. They benefited from these laws because they were able to make money from selling or transporting alcohol. People, one again, were willing to pay high prices for their alcohol, and bootleggers provided it. The government, however, did not benefit from the law. Although it was their law to begin with, it was bad for them because people just broke the law over and over again. This gave the impression that the government could not do anything to stop citizens from breaking the law. It made the government look bad in the end and that was not good for its reputation.
Change and Continuity: 1920s-Today
Again, the laws of alcohol have changed. In some ways they have become less strict because alcohol is no linger illegal, but in other ways it has become more strict in the sense that people have to be 21 or older to drink. With this law, the government is more successful because the people that want to drink can and they just restricted alcohol to kids. What has stayed the same, though, is the reasons of restricting alcohol to some. The government wanted to make alcohol illegal to all before the Prohibition because it was causing harm. In that time it was mainly domestic abuse from alcohol. Today, the government wants alcohol to stay illegal to people under 21 because they believed it was a privilege and people under 21 were not showing the maturity of being able to drink. Society has benefited from the change because people that want to drink can now. Society in a way is safer because citizens are not breaking the law as much to get alcohol. Now, the law is more respected. People who have not benefited from this change are the people that wanted alcohol to be illegal altogether. They believed that alcohol was evil and caused society to be evil. The Prohibition was a good time for them because the thing that they hated the most was illegal: alcohol. Today, they would be very unhappy to see that once again, alcohol is legal to drink.