The United States Congress passed the Volstead Act, commonly referred to as the National Prohibition Act, which outlawed the production, distribution, and transportation of alcoholic beverages, in 1919. The legislation bears Congressman Andrew Volstead’s name from Minnesota, who sponsored it.
According to the Volstead Act, any beverage with more than 0.5% alcohol by volume qualifies as intoxicating liquor. This includes not only alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, and spirits but also household goods like alcohol-containing prescriptions. The statute prohibited the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages, with the exception of sacramental wine and alcohol used for scientific and industrial purposes.
The growth of illegal bars known as speakeasies, where people could purchase and consume alcohol covertly, was influenced by the Volstead Act. These covert companies, which frequently occupied the basements or back rooms of respectable restaurants, required a password or a covert knock to enter. cuisine was offered in many speakeasies, but the standard and safety of the cuisine varied greatly. However, throughout Prohibition, there were other unlicensed establishments in addition to speakeasies. Additionally, bootleggers ran illicit breweries and distilleries, selling their wares to rum-runners, a type of clandestine wholesaler. Organized crime groups, which reaped tremendous profits from the unlawful sale of alcohol, frequently ran these illegal activities.
Speakeasies are once again popular nowadays as a sentimental nod to the Prohibition era. While some contemporary speakeasies replicate the clandestine ambiance of their Prohibition-era counterparts, others only imitate the period’s aesthetic. One often needs to be aware of the location as well as a password or other secret means of admission to enter a modern speakeasy.
A legitimate bar or tavern is, of course, the antithesis of a speakeasy. Despite the 1933 repeal of the Volstead Act, several states and counties continued to have their own alcohol sales regulations. However, today, the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages are all legal in the United States, thus there is no longer a need for covert speakeasies or illicit businesses.
Due to the extensive production and consumption of homemade, illicit alcohol during Prohibition, alcohol was frequently referred to as “booze,” “hooch,” “moonshine,” or “bathtub gin” during the 1920s.