The Story of the Eighteenth Amendment and Prohibition 100 Years Later

It's late at night; and a young man lies low in a boat. He has traveled from the Bahamas to the Hudson River just outside of New York City. Federal agents could be lurking the water nearby; so he's careful not to make much noise. Is this man a dangerous criminal? Well; it depends on your perspective -- he's a 1920s teen who is supplying thirsty Americans with currently illegal alcohol produced overseas. After a constitutional amendment was passed in 1919; the sale and manufacture of alcoholic beverages in the U.S. became illegal. But that didn't stop anyone who wanted a beer or a shot of whiskey. Vast criminal networks soon developed across the country; from stills in remote towns in Pennsylvania to streets full of speakeasies -- underground bars -- in Chicago. Some people just wanted to enjoy a glass of wine or two with friends. Yet as the lawbreaking became more extensive and federal agents couldn't keep up; the money involved increased. Violent mobsters saw Prohibition as a way to make a killing on illegal alcohol; and things turned dark fast. For the many adults who had supported Prohibition; there was a lot of handwringing. Concerned women and men who had watched men stumble out of seedy saloons in their hometowns; abuse their wives; and abandon their children had believed that prohibiting the sale of alcohol was the answer to many of America's social ills. But; alarmed by the rampant lawbreaking; Americans -- including those who had once supported Prohibition -- soon rallied to end it. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Prohibition by traveling back into this unique era of American history.