When did Prohibition in the United States take effect?

Prohibition in the United States took effect on January 16, 1919. This date marks the enforcement of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which established the legal framework for the nationwide prohibition of alcohol. The amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors. Following the ratification of the amendment, the Volstead Act was implemented to define intoxicating liquors and set the legal terms for enforcement.

Understanding the historical context surrounding this date is essential, as it was the culmination of a long-standing temperance movement aimed at reducing alcohol consumption, which many believed was linked to social issues such as crime, family breakdown, and public health problems. The actual nationwide ban on alcohol began after a year of the amendment's ratification, reinforcing why the specific date of January 16, 1919, is significant in American history.