Title: (Prohibition) “Does the Volstead Act Really Work?”
Introduction:
The 18th amendment was supported by temperance societies that believed banning alcohol would improve public morals. In 1917, Congress wanted to make alcohol illegal in the United States. They created the 18th amendment and sent the amendment to the states for ratification. Thirteen months later enough states ratified the 18th amendment for it to become part of the United States Constitution. This amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol within the United States. The Volstead Act was passed to enforce the 18th amendment. The act gave Federal agents the power to investigate and prosecute violators of the 18th amendment. The 18th amendment was later repealed by the 21st amendment in 1933. It is the only amendment to be repealed in our nation’s history.
Task and Goals:
1) Each student will read, analyze, and interpret the 18th amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Volstead act to explain their purpose and how they were used to enforce prohibition.
2) Students will analyze documents, and create a T-chart on the Pros and Cons of the Volstead Act.
3) Each student will create a one-page recommendation letter to the congressperson for whom they work on whether to continue the Volstead Act, to revise it, or to repeal it.
Process with websites:
1) Read the Volstead Act and complete the Document Analysis Worksheet provided by the https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/document.html
18th amendment http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_amendments_11-27.html#18 The Volstead Act: https://research.archives.gov/id/299827
2) After researching the following sources, create a T-chart of the pros and cons of the Volstead Act with a partner.
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/volstead-act/
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1086.html
Letter concerning transportation: https://research.archives.gov/id/298430
http://www.archives.gov/global-pages/larger-image.html?i=/education/lessons/volstead-act/images/conspiracy-memo-1-l.gif&c= =
Drawing of Still http://www.archives.gov/global-pages/larger-image.html?i=/education/lessons/volstead-act/images/still-drawing-l.jpg&c=/education/lessons/volstead-act/images/still-drawing.caption.html
Letter form Harry S. Truman to Bess Wallace: https://research.archives.gov/id/200650
Presidential Proclamation,1933 https://research.archives.gov/id/299967
3) You will write a one-page recommendation letter to the congressperson for whom they work on whether to continue the Volstead Act, to revise it, or to repeal it. You must support your recommendation with evidence provided by their textbooks and by the documents.
http://history.house.gov/Congressional-Overview/Profiles/66th/ (Be sure to explore 67th and 68th Congress)
Rubric:
Letter to Congressmen on Volstead ActName: ______/ Teacher:Ms. Moyer
Date : ______/ Title of Work: ______
Criteria / Points
1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Students will imagine they are a U.S. Citizen during the time of Prohibition and construct a letter to recommend the continuation of the Volstead Act, to revise it or to repeal it. / Does not correctly construct a letter that indicates to continue with the Volstead Act, revise it, or repeal it. / Identifies some reasons to keep, revise, or repeal the Volstead Act. But lacks evidence and examples to support argument. / Identifies most of the correct reasons to keep, revise, or repeal the Volstead Act. Provides at least 2 examples to support argument. / Correctly identifies reasons to keep, revise, or repeal the Volstead Act. Provides more than 3 examples/evidence to support argument. / ____
Organization Structure Transitions / No discernible organization. Transitions are not present. / Organization is clear. Transitions are present. / Logical progression of ideas. Transitions are present equally throughout recommendation letter. / Logical progression of ideas with a clear structure that enhances the main idea. Transitions are mature and graceful. / ____
Main Points Body Paragraphs of Letter / Less than three main points, and/or poor development of ideas. The letter is undeveloped. / Three or more main points are present. The letter presents examples but lack details. / Three or more main points are related to the main idea (keep, revise, or repeal) the Volstead Act, but one may lack details. The letter provides examples using some detail. / Well-developed main points directly relating to the main idea (keep, revise, or repeal) the Volstead Act. Supporting examples are concrete and detailed. The letter is developed with consistent and effective point-of-view. / ____
____
____
Total----> / ____
Teacher Comments:
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Conclusion:
You did a great job on your recommendation letters! You and other students developed your own opinions on a controversial issue in history, and practice an important part of being a citizen. It is very important to be an active citizen in society. Representatives in our government need your input on how to government our country. Writing letters to representatives is one way you can let your opinions be heard by the ones that make our laws. It is essential that you support your ideas with examples this helps lawmakers to make better decisions with laws that affect us. The Volstead Act affected many aspects of American life in the 1920s. Eventually, lawmakers listened to the people of the United States and changed the law by 1933. Remember, there might be a time in the near future in which you believe a law must be kept, revised, or repealed. You have the power to change it!
If you want to learn more about Prohibition check out the following website:
http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3383
Bibliography/Resources:
"Congress Profiles | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives."Congressional
Profiles. United States House of Representatives, n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2015.
"Digital History."Digital History. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2015.
"Prohibition."PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2015.
"Prohibition, and Its Effects on Chicagoans, and Organized Crime."Prohibition, and Its
Effects on Chicagoans, and Organized Crime. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2015.
"The Volstead Act."National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives
and Records Administration, n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2015.
"Prohibition-post-card."History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2015.
"Volstead Act."Volstead Act. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2015.