Essential Question: How do the issues which prompted the creation of the amendments compare with the issues they are applied to today?
Prohibition of Liquor
The Eighteenth Amendment (Amendment XVIII) of the United States Constitution effectively established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages in the United States by declaring illegal the production, transport, and sale of alcohol (though not the consumption or private possession).
Passed by Congress December 18, 1917. Ratified January 16, 1919. Repealed by the 21st Amendment, December 5, 1933
There were many aspects that resulted in the creation of the eighteenth amendment that compare to issues in our world today. The eighteenth amendment was created because Americans were drinking too often and it caused men to not be able to complete their responsibilities. Now, although the amendment was repealed, there are still some laws prohibiting alcohol for certain reasons. For example, people under the age of twenty-one are not allowed to drink alcohol. Also, there is a law against drunk driving, which prevents severe accidents from happening. The ideas which developed the eighteenth amendment are similar to several ideas today. The amendments have influenced ideas and laws that are used in today's society.
"SECTION. 1.After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited. SECTION. 2.The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. SECTION. 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress."
Amendment 18 prohibits the making, selling, or transporting of alcoholic beverages. It was ratified on January 16, 1919. Although one state rejected it, the amendment was passed. There was a great controversy against this amendment, including several protests. After years of economic decline and protests, this amendment was repealed on December 5,1933.
Americans protested because many of them did not agree with the prohibition of alcohol. They wanted to be allowed to transport, manufacture and sell alcohol within the United States, but were prohibited to do so because of the eighteenth amendment. Some people lost their jobs and way of getting money because of the prohibition of alcohol. Americans who sold, manufactured, or transported alcohol often tried to protest against the amendment. The eighteenth amendment caused them to not be able to continue their job, so they were unable to make money. Many people protested for economic reasons, especially during the Great Depression.
In what ways did the Americans protest? CFAY
Americans protested against this amendment in many ways, including that they smuggled and continued to drink alcohol. People also protested by committing crimes.Americans who protested purposely got drunk on alcohol.The Mafia also sometimes bribed people to agree with them. Many Americans bootlegged alcohol. They would drink excessive amounts of alcohol and became very drunk. They walked in the streets with signs to protest. People protested in hope that the amendment would be repealed.
People reacted in many ways after this amendment was made. People protested many times to show that this amendment was not fair. This amendment caused some people to drink excessively or drink abusively. Instead of people drinking alcoholic beverages a little at a time, they often gulped down large amounts of alcohol at once while they could. This amendment, as Journalist H. L. Mencken wrote in 1925, “completely disposed of all the favorite arguments of the Prohibitionists.” Everything the government wanted to change with this amendment, has only become worst. People did not respect the laws, caused more crime, became drunk, and cost the government more money. As a result of these reactions to this amendment, the government decided to repeal this amendment.
The government was unprepared and surprised for the large amount of protesting against this amendment. It was extremely difficult for them to enforce the amendment, as many people had already gone out of their way to find other ways to get alcohol. They did not expect this amount of illegal
drinking and smuggling to occur, and realized that all of these people that refused to stop
drinking were classified as criminals. On December 5, 1933, protesters had gained enough support to repeal the amendment, and the government was forced to create the twenty-first amendment, which repealed the eighteenth. At first the government had thought the amendment would be a "noble experiment", however, it turned out to be disastrous.
Although this amendment had many disadvantages, there was also some advantages. For example, alcohol drinking decreased by a little. Health records show that alcohol-related diseases including some diseases of the liver also decreased after the eighteenth amendment was enforced. In addition, family savings increased once the prohibition was passed, since they spent less money on buying alcoholic beverages. People also spent more of their time doing work and completing their responsibilities because they could not drink alcohol and didn't get drunk. Even though the prohibition may have seemed horrible, there were many benefits as well.
Besides the massive amounts of protesting to repeal the amendment, one large consequence that came out of this amendment was that the entire economy had plummeted. Many families had begun to illegally produce alcohol, so the government believed if they spent more money to enforce the amendment, people would abide to it. Taxpayers had to provide more money to enforce laws, courts, and jails, which brought the United States into a financial debt called the Great Depression. The economy was ruined and the only way to fix it was to repeal the amendment.
This amendment was repealed because of many things. Since people found other ways to produce and drink alcohol, the government felt the amendment should not be made if it was not followed. People often bootlegged which also caused the government to repeal this act. In addition, child neglect and violence against children increased when this prohibition was enforced. Since the people were not following this amendment, the government used extra money to try and enforce it better. Instead, the government spent too much money which led to theGreat Depression. Since the government could no pay for the financial debt, it became another important aspect as to why it should be repealed. These problems caused by this amendment, threatened the health, safety, and the economy of the U.S.
Many states approved this amendment. Forty-seven out of forty-eight states passed it. Rhode Island was the only state who rejected this amendment. The first state to approve the 18th amendment was Mississippi then Virginia. Some other states were Kentucky, North Dakota, South Carolina, Maryland, Montana, South Dakota and Massachusetts.
There were many factors that contributed to the ratifying of the eighteenth amendment. For example, three temperance movements influenced this amendment, which were the Anti-Saloon league, WTCU (Women's Christian Temperance Union), and the Prohibition Party in 1917. All three of these movements believe that alcohol took men away from their families as well as church and work. They compared saloons to evil dens that stole men from their actual responsibilities, and said that the United States would be a better place without alcohol. In addition to that, many people thought that since liquor was banned from military areas, it should be completely prohibited. An example to prove this statement would be that William Kenyon of Iowa asked, "If liquor is a bad thing for the boys in the trenches, why is it a good thing for those at home? When they are willing to die for us, should we not be willing to go dry for them?" All of these reasons led to the ultimate decision of the eighteenth amendment.
The government tried to enforce this amendment, and they used a lot of money to enforce laws, courts, and jails. The government was unable to keep everyone in order, because they spent so much money that they could not enforce this amendment. So many Americans did not obey the prohibition of alcohol, and the government was running out of money. During the depression, the government did not have much money and Americans did not agree with the amendment, so they did not follow it and no one stopped them. The government did not have enough money to pay people to enforce the amendment, so Americans just ignored it.
Women who drink alcohol in excessive amounts are taking a big risk. Studies show that although men commonly drink more alcohol than women, the effects of alcohol can be more significant in women. Even small amounts of alcohol have a big impact on women. Alcohol affects women more than men because women are usually smaller, and do not have as much body fluid as men, which causes higher blood-alcohol levels. Women sometimes try to drink as much as men, especially younger women at parties, but do not realize all the problems that could occur from alcohol overdose. The federal Center for Disease Control shows that "24 percent of women ages 18 to 24 binge drink and that those women have an average of six drinks at a time." People who drink excessive amounts of alcohol have a chance of alcohol poisoning and many other life-threatening diseases. Men drink more alcohol than women and studies have shown that they suffer more injury, illness, and death from alcohol. Alcohol causes many illnesses in women, including liver disease, heart disease, breast cancer, pregnancy harm, and alcohol dependence. These illnesses can be very dangerous for women and can be life-threatening.
The eighteenth amendment relates to this article because they both try to limit the amount of people who drink alcohol. The prohibition of alcohol was supposed to stop Americans from drinking alcohol because many people, especially men, drank excessive amounts of alcohol. The article explains the risks of drinking alcohol, and informs the reader of the many consequences of alcohol overdose. Also, the article discusses how women played a large role in the temperance movement, and supported the prohibition of alcohol. Women wanted alcohol to be abolished because men who drank a lot of alcohol did not complete all of their responsibilities. The article explains how most women born after World War II are drinkers. The article tries to show readers all the disadvantages of alcohol, while the eighteenth amendment simply banned alcohol because of all the problems that alcohol causes. Alcohol overdose can lead to many illnesses and diseases, as well as accidents caused by people who are drunk. The article and Amendment 18 both are against alcohol and the article persuades readers that alcohol is dangerous while the eighteenth amendment prohibited Americans from drinking alcohol for the same purposes.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) surveyed 663 high school students in September 2013. The purpose of this study was to gain students’ perspective how their parents felt about underage drinking. MADD believes that if children get a stern message from their parents to abstain from underage drinking, they are less likely to drink before the age 21. This is compared to children who are not given that type of message. Students who say underage drinking is “completely unacceptable” by their parents, are more than 80% less likely to drink than teens who are given other messages. The survey demonstrates that only 8% of teens whose parents said it was “completely unacceptable for someone their age to drink were active drinkers”. Jan Witers, national president of MADD, believes that all parents should give their children the message that underage drinking is “completely unacceptable”. Research shows about 4,700 people die as a result of underage drinking each year. Other research shows that adolescents and young adults who do not drink until age 21 are 80% less likely to drink excessive amounts of alcohol compared to those who drink before the age 15. Parents are urged to speak with their children about the risks of alcohol consumption.
Debbie Sausvile, a parent of Lauren Sausvile, whom lost her life to underage drinking met with three other mothers and MADD. Lauren Sausvile, 16 died almost 10 years ago due to underage drinking. This incident took place soon after she got her driver’s license. One evening Lauren went to hang out with friends. As 2 a.m. approached, Lauren’s car was not in the driveway and her phone was going straight to voicemail. At 3:15 a.m., the phone rang, and the person on the other end told Debbie’s husband “she’s dead”. The investigators found out Lauren had a 27-year-old friend buy her two 12-packs of beer which she brought to a party at the home of a friend whose parents were away. Lauren drank excessive amounts of beer and vodka. Her blood-alcohol content was .13, which is over the legal limit of .08. She was intoxicated as she drove to another party. Lauren lost control of the car and crashed. Her friend who purchased the beer fled the scene of the accident and was arrested two years later. Lauren’s mom believes it is crucial for parents to know their children’s friends.
The eighteenth amendment relates to this article because both relate to alcohol consumption. The eighteenth amendment and the article convey the importance of drinking responsibly or not at all. They both inform the reader that excessive drinking as well as drinking has consequences. They also show that behaviors result in positive or negative consequences. Once the eighteenth amendment was enforced, there were many consequences, such as protests and rebellions. This relates to the article because people who drink under age have consequences. For example, alcohol affects how the brain functions, which can result in death. The article and the eighteenth amendment show that the use of alcohol should only be used responsibly.
The results of a new study have shown that if the states enforce their laws against drunk driving, there will be less accidents, therefore making the roads significantly safer. Researchers have noticed that greater numbers of traffic stops has increasingly helped keep the roads clear of drunk drivers. During a traffic stop the officers check to see who has been drinking through several tests. For the study, the researchers stopped around 6,900 nighttime drivers from different places to check if they had excessive drinking. They found that the states with more traffic stops per day had a lower rate of drunk drivers. The states that did not have as many traffics stops had a higher rate of drivers that were drinking. If the states had more enforced laws against drunk driving, people would follow those laws better.
This study proves that there must be more enforcements to drunk driving laws. If a state has more enforcements, people would change their behavior because they have a larger chance of getting caught. Recently, there has been many fatalities that have been caused by drunk driving. In 2012, more than 10,000 accidents were caused by drunk driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If more states had better enforced laws, the number of fatalities would go down. This can be done by simply having officers do traffic stops more frequently to check for drunk drivers, which prevents accidents immensely.
The eighteenth amendment relates to this article since they both want to enforce laws against drinking. The eighteenth amendment wanted to rid of alcohol completely, however this current article directly states that the laws against drunk drivers must be enforced. Both the amendment and article recognize the dangers of alcoholic consumption, such as harmful diseases or any accidents that could result in death. Although the government repealed the eighteenth amendment, this article still demonstrates that this matter has not been forgotten. Laws have been made that prohibit drunk driving, but according to the article, these laws need more attention and enforcement. The more enforced the law is, the less likelihood there is for accidents and deaths. The eighteenth amendment formed the base of prohibiting alcohol in required situations.
Citations:
"Eighteenth Amendment." Constitutional Amendments: From Freedom of Speech to Flag Burning. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: UXL, 2008. Student Resources in Context. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
"The Eighteenth Amendment." The Eighteenth Amendment. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
"Prohibition." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 2: 1910-1919. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Student Resources in Context. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
"Prohibition (Issue)." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. Ed. Thomas Carson and Mary Bonk. Detroit: Gale, 1999. Student Resources in Context. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
"Temperance Movement." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. Ed. Thomas Carson and Mary Bonk. Detroit: Gale, 1999. Student Resources in Context. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
Copel, Larry. "MADD: Parents Key to Stopping Underage Drinking." USA Today. Gannett, 01 Apr. 2014. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.
Pillsbury, Stanley R. "Speakeasy." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 7. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 492-493. Student Resources in Context. Web. 16 Jan. 2015.
Repeal of Prohibition." Repeal of Prohibition. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2015.
18C2
Essential Question: How do the issues which prompted the creation of the amendments compare with the issues they are applied to today?
Prohibition of Liquor
The Eighteenth Amendment (Amendment XVIII) of the United States Constitution effectively established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages in the United States by declaring illegal the production, transport, and sale of alcohol (though not the consumption or private possession).
Passed by Congress December 18, 1917. Ratified January 16, 1919. Repealed by the 21st Amendment, December 5, 1933
http://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendments/amendment-xviii
There were many aspects that resulted in the creation of the eighteenth amendment that compare to issues in our world today. The eighteenth amendment was created because Americans were drinking too often and it caused men to not be able to complete their responsibilities. Now, although the amendment was repealed, there are still some laws prohibiting alcohol for certain reasons. For example, people under the age of twenty-one are not allowed to drink alcohol. Also, there is a law against drunk driving, which prevents severe accidents from happening. The ideas which developed the eighteenth amendment are similar to several ideas today. The amendments have influenced ideas and laws that are used in today's society.
Amendment 18
By: Ciara, Christiana, and Amy"SECTION. 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
SECTION. 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
SECTION. 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress."
Amendment 18 prohibits the making, selling, or transporting of alcoholic beverages. It was ratified on January 16, 1919. Although one state rejected it, the amendment was passed. There was a great controversy against this amendment, including several protests. After years of economic decline and protests, this amendment was repealed on December 5,1933.
Research Questions:
Protests:
What caused the Americans to protest? CFAY
Americans protested because many of them did not agree with the prohibition of alcohol. They wanted to be allowed to transport, manufacture and sell alcohol within the United States, but were prohibited to do so because of the eighteenth amendment. Some people lost their jobs and way of getting money because of the prohibition of alcohol. Americans who sold, manufactured, or transported alcohol often tried to protest against the amendment. The eighteenth amendment caused them to not be able to continue their job, so they were unable to make money. Many people protested for economic reasons, especially during the Great Depression.
In what ways did the Americans protest? CFAY
Americans protested against this amendment in many ways, including that they smuggled and continued to drink alcohol. People also protested by committing crimes.Americans who protested purposely got drunk on alcohol.The Mafia also sometimes bribed people to agree with them. Many Americans bootlegged alcohol. They would drink excessive amounts of alcohol and became very drunk. They walked in the streets with signs to protest. People protested in hope that the amendment would be repealed.
What was the reaction of this amendment? CF
People reacted in many ways after this amendment was made. People protested many times to show that this amendment was not fair. This amendment caused some people to drink excessively or drink abusively. Instead of people drinking alcoholic beverages a little at a time, they often gulped down large amounts of alcohol at once while they could. This amendment, as Journalist H. L. Mencken wrote in 1925, “completely disposed of all the favorite arguments of the Prohibitionists.” Everything the government wanted to change with this amendment, has only become worst. People did not respect the laws, caused more crime, became drunk, and cost the government more money. As a result of these reactions to this amendment, the government decided to repeal this amendment.
What was the government's reaction to the protest? AC
The government was unprepared and surprised for the large amount of protesting against this amendment. It was extremely difficult for them to enforce the amendment, as many people had already gone out of their way to find other ways to get alcohol. They did not expect this amount of illegal
drinking and smuggling to occur, and realized that all of these people that refused to stop
drinking were classified as criminals. On December 5, 1933, protesters had gained enough support to repeal the amendment, and the government was forced to create the twenty-first amendment, which repealed the eighteenth. At first the government had thought the amendment would be a "noble experiment", however, it turned out to be disastrous.
Advantages and Disadvantages:
What were the advantages to the prohibition? AC, CFAY, and CF
Although this amendment had many disadvantages, there was also some advantages. For example, alcohol drinking decreased by a little. Health records show that alcohol-related diseases including some diseases of the liver also decreased after the eighteenth amendment was enforced. In addition, family savings increased once the prohibition was passed, since they spent less money on buying alcoholic beverages. People also spent more of their time doing work and completing their responsibilities because they could not drink alcohol and didn't get drunk. Even though the prohibition may have seemed horrible, there were many benefits as well.
What consequences came out of this amendment? AC
Besides the massive amounts of protesting to repeal the amendment, one large consequence that came out of this amendment was that the entire economy had plummeted. Many families had begun to illegally produce alcohol, so the government believed if they spent more money to enforce the amendment, people would abide to it. Taxpayers had to provide more money to enforce laws, courts, and jails, which brought the United States into a financial debt called the Great Depression. The economy was ruined and the only way to fix it was to repeal the amendment.
Repeal:
Why was this amendment repealed? CF
This amendment was repealed because of many things. Since people found other ways to produce and drink alcohol, the government felt the amendment should not be made if it was not followed. People often bootlegged which also caused the government to repeal this act. In addition, child neglect and violence against children increased when this prohibition was enforced. Since the people were not following this amendment, the government used extra money to try and enforce it better. Instead, the government spent too much money which led to theGreat Depression. Since the government could no pay for the financial debt, it became another important aspect as to why it should be repealed. These problems caused by this amendment, threatened the health, safety, and the economy of the U.S.
Creation of Amendment:
Which states approved this amendment? CF
Many states approved this amendment. Forty-seven out of forty-eight states passed it. Rhode Island was the only state who rejected this amendment. The first state to approve the 18th amendment was Mississippi then Virginia. Some other states were Kentucky, North Dakota, South Carolina, Maryland, Montana, South Dakota and Massachusetts.
What caused this amendment to be made? AC
There were many factors that contributed to the ratifying of the eighteenth amendment. For example, three temperance movements influenced this amendment, which were the Anti-Saloon league, WTCU (Women's Christian Temperance Union), and the Prohibition Party in 1917. All three of these movements believe that alcohol took men away from their families as well as church and work. They compared saloons to evil dens that stole men from their actual responsibilities, and said that the United States would be a better place without alcohol. In addition to that, many people thought that since liquor was banned from military areas, it should be completely prohibited. An example to prove this statement would be that William Kenyon of Iowa asked, "If liquor is a bad thing for the boys in the trenches, why is it a good thing for those at home? When they are willing to die for us, should we not be willing to go dry for them?" All of these reasons led to the ultimate decision of the eighteenth amendment.
How was this amendment enforced? CFAY
The government tried to enforce this amendment, and they used a lot of money to enforce laws, courts, and jails. The government was unable to keep everyone in order, because they spent so much money that they could not enforce this amendment. So many Americans did not obey the prohibition of alcohol, and the government was running out of money. During the depression, the government did not have much money and Americans did not agree with the amendment, so they did not follow it and no one stopped them. The government did not have enough money to pay people to enforce the amendment, so Americans just ignored it.
Current Events:
Ciara's Current Event-
Women and drinking: authors tackle risks
Women who drink alcohol in excessive amounts are taking a big risk. Studies show that although men commonly drink more alcohol than women, the effects of alcohol can be more significant in women. Even small amounts of alcohol have a big impact on women. Alcohol affects women more than men because women are usually smaller, and do not have as much body fluid as men, which causes higher blood-alcohol levels. Women sometimes try to drink as much as men, especially younger women at parties, but do not realize all the problems that could occur from alcohol overdose. The federal Center for Disease Control shows that "24 percent of women ages 18 to 24 binge drink and that those women have an average of six drinks at a time." People who drink excessive amounts of alcohol have a chance of alcohol poisoning and many other life-threatening diseases. Men drink more alcohol than women and studies have shown that they suffer more injury, illness, and death from alcohol. Alcohol causes many illnesses in women, including liver disease, heart disease, breast cancer, pregnancy harm, and alcohol dependence. These illnesses can be very dangerous for women and can be life-threatening.
The eighteenth amendment relates to this article because they both try to limit the amount of people who drink alcohol. The prohibition of alcohol was supposed to stop Americans from drinking alcohol because many people, especially men, drank excessive amounts of alcohol. The article explains the risks of drinking alcohol, and informs the reader of the many consequences of alcohol overdose. Also, the article discusses how women played a large role in the temperance movement, and supported the prohibition of alcohol. Women wanted alcohol to be abolished because men who drank a lot of alcohol did not complete all of their responsibilities. The article explains how most women born after World War II are drinkers. The article tries to show readers all the disadvantages of alcohol, while the eighteenth amendment simply banned alcohol because of all the problems that alcohol causes. Alcohol overdose can lead to many illnesses and diseases, as well as accidents caused by people who are drunk. The article and Amendment 18 both are against alcohol and the article persuades readers that alcohol is dangerous while the eighteenth amendment prohibited Americans from drinking alcohol for the same purposes.
Christiana's Current Event-
MADD: Parents key to stopping underage drinking
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) surveyed 663 high school students in September 2013. The purpose of this study was to gain students’ perspective how their parents felt about underage drinking. MADD believes that if children get a stern message from their parents to abstain from underage drinking, they are less likely to drink before the age 21. This is compared to children who are not given that type of message. Students who say underage drinking is “completely unacceptable” by their parents, are more than 80% less likely to drink than teens who are given other messages. The survey demonstrates that only 8% of teens whose parents said it was “completely unacceptable for someone their age to drink were active drinkers”. Jan Witers, national president of MADD, believes that all parents should give their children the message that underage drinking is “completely unacceptable”. Research shows about 4,700 people die as a result of underage drinking each year. Other research shows that adolescents and young adults who do not drink until age 21 are 80% less likely to drink excessive amounts of alcohol compared to those who drink before the age 15. Parents are urged to speak with their children about the risks of alcohol consumption.
Debbie Sausvile, a parent of Lauren Sausvile, whom lost her life to underage drinking met with three other mothers and MADD. Lauren Sausvile, 16 died almost 10 years ago due to underage drinking. This incident took place soon after she got her driver’s license. One evening Lauren went to hang out with friends. As 2 a.m. approached, Lauren’s car was not in the driveway and her phone was going straight to voicemail. At 3:15 a.m., the phone rang, and the person on the other end told Debbie’s husband “she’s dead”. The investigators found out Lauren had a 27-year-old friend buy her two 12-packs of beer which she brought to a party at the home of a friend whose parents were away. Lauren drank excessive amounts of beer and vodka. Her blood-alcohol content was .13, which is over the legal limit of .08. She was intoxicated as she drove to another party. Lauren lost control of the car and crashed. Her friend who purchased the beer fled the scene of the accident and was arrested two years later. Lauren’s mom believes it is crucial for parents to know their children’s friends.
The eighteenth amendment relates to this article because both relate to alcohol consumption. The eighteenth amendment and the article convey the importance of drinking responsibly or not at all. They both inform the reader that excessive drinking as well as drinking has consequences. They also show that behaviors result in positive or negative consequences. Once the eighteenth amendment was enforced, there were many consequences, such as protests and rebellions. This relates to the article because people who drink under age have consequences. For example, alcohol affects how the brain functions, which can result in death. The article and the eighteenth amendment show that the use of alcohol should only be used responsibly.
Amy's Current Event-
Enforcement of Drunk Driving Laws Makes Roads Safer, Study Finds
The results of a new study have shown that if the states enforce their laws against drunk driving, there will be less accidents, therefore making the roads significantly safer. Researchers have noticed that greater numbers of traffic stops has increasingly helped keep the roads clear of drunk drivers. During a traffic stop the officers check to see who has been drinking through several tests. For the study, the researchers stopped around 6,900 nighttime drivers from different places to check if they had excessive drinking. They found that the states with more traffic stops per day had a lower rate of drunk drivers. The states that did not have as many traffics stops had a higher rate of drivers that were drinking. If the states had more enforced laws against drunk driving, people would follow those laws better.
This study proves that there must be more enforcements to drunk driving laws. If a state has more enforcements, people would change their behavior because they have a larger chance of getting caught. Recently, there has been many fatalities that have been caused by drunk driving. In 2012, more than 10,000 accidents were caused by drunk driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If more states had better enforced laws, the number of fatalities would go down. This can be done by simply having officers do traffic stops more frequently to check for drunk drivers, which prevents accidents immensely.
The eighteenth amendment relates to this article since they both want to enforce laws against drinking. The eighteenth amendment wanted to rid of alcohol completely, however this current article directly states that the laws against drunk drivers must be enforced. Both the amendment and article recognize the dangers of alcoholic consumption, such as harmful diseases or any accidents that could result in death. Although the government repealed the eighteenth amendment, this article still demonstrates that this matter has not been forgotten. Laws have been made that prohibit drunk driving, but according to the article, these laws need more attention and enforcement. The more enforced the law is, the less likelihood there is for accidents and deaths. The eighteenth amendment formed the base of prohibiting alcohol in required situations.
Citations:
"Eighteenth Amendment." Constitutional Amendments: From Freedom of Speech to Flag Burning. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: UXL, 2008. Student Resources in Context. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
"The Eighteenth Amendment." The Eighteenth Amendment. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
"Prohibition." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 2: 1910-1919. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Student Resources in Context. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
"Prohibition (Issue)." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. Ed. Thomas Carson and Mary Bonk. Detroit: Gale, 1999. Student Resources in Context. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
"Temperance Movement." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. Ed. Thomas Carson and Mary Bonk. Detroit: Gale, 1999. Student Resources in Context. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
Copel, Larry. "MADD: Parents Key to Stopping Underage Drinking." USA Today. Gannett, 01 Apr. 2014. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.
Pillsbury, Stanley R. "Speakeasy." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 7. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 492-493. Student Resources in Context. Web. 16 Jan. 2015.
Repeal of Prohibition." Repeal of Prohibition. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2015.