1.It was never illegal to drink during Prohibition.
2.In order to enforce the 18th Amendment, the National Prohibition Act, more commonly known as Volstead Act was passed.
3.Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was one of the major forces behind the 18th Amendment. They taught as "scientific fact" that the majority of beer drinkers die from edema (swelling of the organs or body).
4.Popular Prohibition-era speakeasies in New York that still operate today include, the Landmark Tavern, 21 Club, and Flûte.
5.Speakeasies got their name because you had whisper a code word or name through a locked door in order to be allowed in.
6.New York City alone had an estimated 30,000 speakeasies!
7."Blind pig” was a term used for dive bars, where customers would pay to see an attraction (like an animal) and receive a complementary drink.
8.The Ku Klux Klan strongly supported Prohibition.
9.Cocktails gained popularity during this time as they offered a way to mask the flavor of poorly made alcohol. Popular cocktails included: Mary Pickford, French 75, Barbary Coast, Bee’s Knees, and the Sidecar.
10.During Prohibition, 18th Amendment supporters tried to have the Bible rewritten by removing all references to alcohol.
11."Cruises to nowhere," aka “booze cruises,” were an industry that sprouted from prohibition. Ships would sail out to international waters, were they could legally serve alcohol; the ship would typically cruise in circles.
12.Al Capone is estimated to have made $60 million in alcohol sales in just 1927 alone.
13.On December 5th, 1933 the 21st Amendment was ratified and Prohibition ended. This day is known as Repeal Day.
14.After repealing the 18th Amendment, President Roosevelt quipped, "What America needs now is a drink."
15.The first legal bottle of beer produced by Washington's Abner Drury Brewery was delivered to President Roosevelt at the White House on April 14, 1933.
