Prohibition in the United States officially ends as Utah ratifies the 21st Amendment

The Prohibition, which prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol, occurred in North America and Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. In America, the movement lasted from the 1840s into the 1920s.

It was on this day, December 5th, in 1933 that the state of Utah ratified the 21st Amendment. This measure officially ended the Prohibition in the United States.

The 21st Amendment appealed the earlier 18th Amendment, which had enforced a nationwide policy of Prohibition. High crime rates, underground markets, and public discontent were all reasons for the appeal of the Prohibition laws. Under Prohibition, drinking alcohol itself was not illegal, but the sales and manufacturing processes were considered criminal offenses.