Prohibition Begins

For many years, lots of people thought America would be a happier, safer place without alcohol.

So the country added a new rule to its big rulebook, called the 18th Amendment.

Starting one cold January day in 1920, it became against the law to make, sell, or ship drinks like beer and whiskey.

Some people quietly kept selling it anyway in secret little clubs called 'speakeasies,' where you needed a whispered password to get in.

After about 13 years, most Americans decided the rule wasn't working, so they took it back out of the rulebook.