What year was the Eighteenth Amendment enacted?

The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages, was enacted in 1919. This amendment was part of the larger temperance movement that sought to reduce alcohol consumption and its perceived social problems. The amendment took effect in January 1920, marking the beginning of Prohibition in the United States. This historical context highlights the societal shift occurring during this period, as public sentiment was increasingly in favor of reducing the negative impacts of alcohol on society.

The significance of the Eighteenth Amendment lies in its ambition to create a more orderly and moral society, although it ultimately led to unintended consequences such as the rise of organized crime and a disregard for the law, culminating in its repeal by the Twenty-First Amendment in 1933. Understanding the year of enactment is crucial for grasping the timeline of legislative changes related to alcohol and their effects on American society.