What Are The Causes Of Prohibition In The Progressive Era

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“Thus came prohibition to the United States. Middle-class Americans—striving to revitalize and preserve American democracy and to usher in a new era of humanity, achievement, and progress—turned to prohibition as one device to achieve their goals.” (Callow) The Prohibition was a time where in the United States the sale and consumption of alcohol was illegal from 1920-1933. It was the 18th amendment which prohibited alcohol in the United States and it states, “The manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.” (The United States Constitution) The Prohibition happened to occur during the Progressive Era where morals were valued, the was a rise in feminist and humanitarian movements, and there was action to dissolve corruption in business …show more content…

All of these aspects of the Progressive movement were seen throughout the motives for the Prohibition. The prohibition was started by the desire for moral law to be displayed among all men, for humans to be living the best and most well off lives they can without hurting their families or wives, and for corruption among politicians and businesses to be demolished. The progressive era was found on the basis of moral law, so the prohibition was thought to alleviate alcohol which was thought to kill a man’s morals and reason. Religion and morals were becoming increasingly popular during the progressive era, and alcohol and the effects of alcohol were causing people to break these morals by which people were abiding. Individual morality was greatly favored during the progressive era, and the prohibition was thought to help Americans