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Prohibition

Definition

Prohibition refers to the legal ban on the production, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. It was a social reform movement primarily active in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Analogy

Imagine you have a big party at your house, but your parents say no one is allowed to bring any snacks or drinks. They want to prohibit everyone from having fun with food and drinks because they think it will cause problems. That's what prohibition did - it tried to stop people from drinking alcohol because they believed it caused social issues.

Related terms

Temperance: The temperance movement aimed to promote moderation and self-restraint in the consumption of alcohol rather than complete prohibition.

Volstead Act: The Volstead Act was a law passed in 1919 that provided for the enforcement of Prohibition in the United States.

Speakeasies: Speakeasies were secret bars or clubs where people could go to drink during the period of Prohibition when alcohol was illegal.

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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.