Prohibition, 18th Amendment

How did Prohibition impact American society, and why did it ultimately fail? This document and opinion analysis activity examines the background and impact of Prohibition, organized crime, and the rise of speakeasies during the Roaring Twenties. Students will analyze primary and secondary source documents, including political cartoons and firsthand accounts. They’ll then answer corresponding scaffolding questions. They will answer the final summary question to apply their knowledge of how Prohibition shaped American society.

Included in this resource:

Do Now - “Saloon Balloon” primary source political cartoon analysis with scaffolding questions
Prohibition during the Roaring Twenties reading passage with scaffolding graphic organizer questions
Analyzing Opinions: In Favor vs. Against Prohibition
Al Capone POV with scaffolding questions
Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: Why did Prohibition lead to an increase in crime instead of reducing it?
Answer key for teachers (suggested)

★ Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you!

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