American Prohibition Begins
Poet involved
What happened
The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in January 1919, and the Volstead Act, which took effect in January 1920, initiated a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States. This period, known as Prohibition, led to the rise of organized crime, speakeasies, and a significant shift in American social and cultural life, and it remained in effect until its repeal in 1933.
Literary impact
Prohibition profoundly shaped American literature, giving rise to the 'Lost Generation' of writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, who depicted the era's hedonism and disillusionment. The law also inspired a body of poetry and song that celebrated the speakeasy and the bootlegger, while its failure fueled a critical literary tradition questioning the effectiveness and morality of legislating morality.
Source: Wikipedia
