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Temperance Movements pushed for abstinence from alcohol. At first, they pushed for moderation, but after several decades, the movement's focus changed to complete prohibition of alcohol consumption.
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The US Senate passes the Volstead Act which is one big step to the passing of the 18th amendment. This Act also stated that owning any item designed to manufacture alcohol was illegal and set specific fines and jail sentences for violating Prohibition.
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18th Amendment is ratified by 36 states and goes into effect on the federal level. Maine was the first state to apply Prohibition on December 6, 1933.
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Volstead Act is passed by the US Congress and established the enforcement of prohibition. The Volstead Act stated that "beer, wine, or other intoxicating malt or vinous liquors" meant any beverage that was more than 0.5% alcohol by volume was prohibited.
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Bootleggers such as Al Capone in Chicago highlight the darker side of prohibition. Al Capone was one of the best known gangster and the single greatest symbol of the collapse of law and order in the United States during the Prohibition era. Capone's most notorious killing was the St. Valentine's Day Massacre on February 14, 1929,
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The Stock Market Crash and the beginning of the Great Depression started changing people's opinion. People needed jobs and the government needed money. Making alcohol legal would open up new jobs for citizens and make an additional sales tax for the government.
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Elliot Ness begins in earnest to tackle violators of prohibition and Al Capone's gang in Chicago.
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Herbert Hoover gives an acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination of president where he discussed the ills of prohibition and the need for its end.
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Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Cullen-Harrison Act. This legalizes the manufacture and sale of certain alcohol.
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Prohibition is repealed with the passing of the 21st amendment.
