Attempts to enforce Prohibition in the USA were doomed to fail. How far do you agree with this opinion? (30 marks)

Attempts to enforce Prohibition in the USA were doomed to fail. How far do you agree with this opinion? (30 marks) January sixteenth 1919 saw the proposed eighteenth amendment to the United States constitution and the Volstead act. The eighteenth amendment banned the manufacture, transportation and sale of intoxicating liquor within the USA, also it's worth noting that Prohibition didn't actually ban the consumption of alcohol, and did allow the sale of alcohol for religious reasons. Additionally the Volstead Act defined intoxicating liquor to be any drink that contained more than half a per cent of alcohol, thus together they would form Prohibition, which went into effect after a year of approval on January seventeenth 1920. However the fifth of December 1933 saw the retraction of Prohibition, and has been the only amendment to the constitution to actually be repealed, but was Prohibition always doomed to fail? Prohibition was created mainly due to popular support of the public, as in years prior to the amendment, interest groups were growing in strength, which were largely supported by women, as women saw alcohol as a means for mean to oppress them; however others such as religious groups and business were in support. Religious groups, especially those who where strongly protestant and who were in support of the Republican party, thought alcohol to be the work of the

  • Word count: 797
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
Access this essay

US Popular Culture - Woody Guthrie Biography

Woody Guthrie was just 42 when he entered the hospital for the last time in 1954. His period of true creativity had spanned no more than eight or nine years, though in that time, he had traveled far, seen wonders and known defeats, and written as many as 1,400 songs. He had traveled Route 66, he boasted, enough to run it up to 6,666, back and forth, across the county as urges and winds took him. Woody was one of the greatest influences on Bob Dylan. During his brief time as a college student, Bob Dylan became interested in traditional and American folk music. After reading Woody Guthrie's autobiography, called Bound for Glory, Bob's music was heavily influenced by Guthrie's. In January 1961, he moved to New York City, to perform there and to visit his sick musical idol Woody Guthrie, who was dying in a New Jersey hospital. Guthrie had been a revelation to Dylan and was the biggest influence on his early performances. Dylan would later say of Guthrie's work, "You could listen to his songs and actually learn how to live." In the hospital room bob took out his guitar and started singing to him. Dylan met Woody's old road-buddy Ramblin' Jack Elliott, who was visiting Guthrie the day after returning from his own trip to Europe. Dylan and Elliott became friends, and much of Guthrie's work was actually channeled through Elliott. "So long Woody it's been good to know you. Your songs

  • Word count: 3232
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
Access this essay

History Notes on the American Civil War

APUSH Chapter 21 NOTES Bull Run Ends the "90 Day War" * Lincoln thought that a defeat of the Confederate forces at Bull Run (Manassas Junction, VA) would not only be successful, but quickly put an end to the South's secession from the Union WITHOUT damage to the economic and social system of the South -but he was wrong - Stonewall Jackson's regiment held * Victory was worse for the South b/c now the South was even more confident that they could win AND volunteers fell off b/c it didn't look as if they were needed * Defeat was better than victory for the North b/c it dispelled all notions that this was going to be a quick, easy war and caused the North to hunker down and gear up for the task at hand "Tardy George" McClellan and the Peninsula Campaign * George McClellan, the commander of the Army of the Potomac * Brilliant and experienced, "Little Mac" was also a perfectionist who learned the hard way that winning wars requires risk - He was overcautious and was arrogant to Lincoln * Lincoln had to issue orders to advance his army and thus began the Peninsula campaign in which the North lost as well * Result of this battle: Lincoln was willing to leave slavery alone where it already existed, but now declares that the rebels cannot try to destroy the gov't and just rejoin unhurt if unsuccessful - Lincoln now begins to draft an

  • Word count: 1304
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
Access this essay

History Notes on the aftermath of the American Civil War

APUSH Ch. 22 NOTES The Problems of Peace * What to do with freed blacks * How to reunite the South into the Union * Who would control Reconstruction - executive or legislature * Southern way of life was abolished although Southerners remained very resistant - really defiant Freedmen Define Freedom * Slaves' freedom came gradually * Slaves took the roads, changed their names, wanted to be addressed with respect which angered whites * Church became important in blacks' lives and created their own denomination(s) - attendance was very high * Reading and writing became highly important - teachers were scarce until the gov't provided some teachers Freedmen's Bureau * Created by Congress - March 1865 * Meaning of agency was intended to be a primitive welfare agency (food, clothes, med. Care and education) - not just for freedmen but for white refugees too * Oliver O Howard - head of the bureau (founder Howard University) * Greatest success was in education * Its accomplishments were meager - even corrupt - land was not distributed to freed blacks and many were tricked into signing labor contracts to work for former masters * Southerners cried federal oppression * President Johnson shared white supremacist views and tried to kill the agency - it expired in 1872 Johnson: The Tailor President * Johnson became president by

  • Word count: 1494
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
Access this essay

Why African Americans Rioted in the 1960's

History Extended Response. In the 1920's, there were many reasons why black people rioted in many American cities. The reasons included that 40% of black American's still lived in poverty. Blacks lived in ghettos which were places of crime, gangs and drugs. Many blacks were either in low paid jobs or had no jobs at all. These reasons and more will be discussed in this essay to explain why black people rioted in many American cities in the 1960's. By the 1960's, the main aims of the non-violent black campaigners had been achieved. These aims were to desegregate public places and for blacks to get the right to vote. What the Civil Rights campaigners had not done was tackle the problems that black American's faced in the northern states. By 1960 half of all black American's had moved from the south to the north and crowded together in ghettos. They suffered from poverty, high unemployment, lack of health services and high crime rates. Riots were caused in mostly ghetto areas by acts or rumours of police brutality. The most serious riots where in New York, Detroit and The Watts area of Los Angeles. The assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968 lead to riots in 125 American cities. There were shootings, arson and looting in and around black American ghettos. Buildings were set on fire and burned down during these riots, and hundreds of people were injured and killed.

  • Word count: 838
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
Access this essay

The main events of the Civil Rights movement happened between 1945 and 1968. However black Americans did not suddenly start campaigning for better rights in 1945, organisations and campaigns had existed before then.

From its birth in 1776 until the year 1955, the "American Experiment"-despite its many wonderful qualities-still suffered from racial inequality and injustice. These realities contradicted the equality and religious language at the root of the nation's founding. Finally, in 1955, progress toward racial equality took a great leap compared to the slow and gradual progress seen prior to this time. The champions of the Civil Rights Movement always included religious language in their battle for justice and wholesome race relations.With the defeat of the Confederate States of America at the end of the Civil War, the nation entered a 12-year period (1865-1877) known as the Reconstruction. But from 1877 through to the end of the century, there arose a tragic proliferation of racially discriminatory laws and violence targeted at American blacks. Scholars generally agree that this period stands as the nadir of American race relations.Even though Congress had adopted the Fourteenth Amendment to guarantee equal protection of blacks, in the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Kansas, there emerged elected, appointed, and/or hired government officials who began to require and/or permit flagrant discrimination by way of various mechanisms. The main events of the Civil Rights

  • Word count: 1111
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
Access this essay

Why was Theodore Roosevelt was essential to the progressive movement?How far do you agree?

Why was Theodore Roosevelt was essential to the progressive movement? Progressivism was the movement in the late 19th century, which was thought to improve the quality of living, equality and the ability to control the economy. This showed us that America was slowly becoming more industrialized therefore resulting a massive divide between the rich and the poor. We can then imply that this led to no rules on working practices, meaning there were no minimum wage and no limit on working ours. Roosevelt believed that 'combination and concentration should not be prohibited but suspended and within reasonable limits controlled'. Theodore invited William Howard Taft; Roosevelt made him the secretary of war, and then later on won the 1908 presidential election. William Taft preferred Law to Politics as he was appointed a federal court judge at 34, but his wife did not like the idea of this therefore forced him into politics. We can understand that Taft increased the number of anti trust suits against companies in fact doubling them in comparison to Roosevelt. In addition he brought new laws to protect mine workers and had more government control, but people believed that he didn't work hard enough. This resulted in the 1913 where William Taft lost to Woodrow Wilson. We can understand that Roosevelt started 25 anti lawsuits against monopoly businesses. He gained support from

  • Word count: 505
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
Access this essay

Douglass policy of applying the principle of popular sovereignty to the Kansas-Nebraska issue was not entirely reasonable.

Sources A and B are against the Douglas's policy. While sources C and D are for it. Source E supports but challenges it at the same time. The Independent Democrats who were against the bill produced source A. They were against it because they believed that slavery was something dreadful and sinful therefore submitting to it would be injustice. Moreover, to them, extending slavery in other states was against the ancient law and it would violate the solemn agreements, which was the Missouri Compromise. It was clearly stated in the Missouri Compromise that slavery was prohibited in the north of the Louisiana Purchase, which was where the territory subjected by Douglas was located in. Likewise, the Democrats believed every person deserved freedom as it was given by God. Source B suggests that there were other reasons for Douglas's bill. One of the reasons was to construct a transcontinental railroad based in Chicago as its eastern terminus. Douglas owned the Chicago site thus made it easier. Besides, he also made the bill to gain support from the Southerners for his Presidential Election. The Southern Senators first rejected the bill because the territory was located in the northern half of the Louisiana Purchase, which prohibited slavery, but Douglas decided to declare the Missouri Compromise void and integrated the principle of popular sovereignty. As a result, gained the

  • Word count: 599
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
Access this essay

Andrew Jackson was an effective and vigorous president, who acted upon a few key convictions,

I feel the statement, "Andrew Jackson was an effective and vigorous president, who acted upon a few key convictions," is a poor description of Andrew Jackson's presidency. While Andrew Jackson confronted a few major issues, such as removing some of the men that had hold been holding office for many years, about 1 in 10 men were removed. He also passed a few protective tariffs in an attempt to help the American economy. Even with these few accomplishments I few that President Jackson was not a very effective president. President Jackson made many choices based upon his political goals, not for the American people. He also, fought against the second back of the United States causing more problems for the nation. Jackson may have felt that he knew what was best for the nation's future, but he made many poor choices. He had promised to fix the corrupt government, but he vetoed twelve bills during his two terms, while the six men before him had only vetoed nine bills, mostly for unconstitutional issues. President Jackson vetoed bills if they conflicted with his agenda. The tariffs he passed also had problems. They favored the North. The South would have to pay more for got with the high taxes on imported goods, and they strongly opposed them. They even attempted to nullify the tariffs. Another problem with the tariffs was that the favored the average people much more than the

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 404
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
Access this essay

Presidents and their Successors

Sami Migliaccio Mrs. Trovato Period #3 April 21, 2008 Essay Question: "Vice President who have succeeded to the presidency on the death of the President have been less effective in their conduct of domestic and foreign policy than the men they replaced." Assess the validity of this statement for Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Presidents and their Successors The statement that "Vice Presidents who have succeeded to the presidency on the death of the President have been less effective in their conduct of domestic and foreign policy than the men they replaced" is not always true. Harry S. Truman became president upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson became president when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Yet, while the statement proves to be true in the comparison of Roosevelt's and Truman's administrations, such is not the case with Kennedy and Johnson. Johnson was the more effective president in regard to domestic policies, but neither Kennedy nor Johnson was very effective when it came to foreign policy. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was successful as president from the very beginning. When he entered office during the Great Depression, he got to work immediately on achieving the three R's of recovery, relief, and reform. He showed that even though he did not have a detailed plan to help

  • Word count: 1554
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
Access this essay