The Great Experiement: Why did Prohibition fail?

This engaging and fully resourced lesson explores the key reasons why Prohibition failed in the United States. Students examine the complex social, political, and economic factors behind its collapse, including the influence of Al Capone and the rise of organized crime. The materials are clear, accessible, and easily adapted to suit a range of learning levels, making them ideal for high school U.S. History classes studying the 1920s.

The download includes a 22-slide PowerPoint presentation and a three-page student worksheet that work seamlessly together. The PowerPoint features clear lesson aims, differentiated learning objectives, concise information slides, historical sources, political cartoons, and graphic organizers that mirror the worksheet activities. A link to a relevant BBC documentary is also included, along with engaging starter and closing activities and supported, scaffolded writing tasks to help students build historical analysis and evaluation skills.

Designed with a variety of learners in mind, this lesson also includes a thinking skills review triangle activity, which can be used as a plenary or discussion exercise to reinforce learning and promote higher-order thinking.

Flexible, ready to use, and fully editable, this lesson offers an enjoyable and effective way to help students understand why Prohibition ultimately failed—and what this pivotal period reveals about reform, enforcement, and public opinion in 1920s America.

All materials are provided in Microsoft Office format for easy editing and in PDF format for quick classroom use.

The aims and objectives are:

You will learn:
Theme: Why did Prohibition fail?
Know: Who was Al-Capone?
Understand: What role did he play in helping prohibition fail?
Evaluate: Why did prohibition fail?
Skills: Chronology, Source Evaluation & judgement

What Am I Looking For this lesson?
Can You You: Describe who was Al-Capone?
Can You Explain: What role did he played in helping prohibition fail?
Can You Analyse – What was the most significant factory in Prohibitions failure?

If you���ve used any of my resources before, you’ll know they’re designed to a high standard and created to support a wide range of learners in an engaging, accessible way. I hope you and your students enjoy using this lesson as much as I enjoyed making it!

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Roy – The History Academy