Prohibition describes how the consumption and effect of alcoholic beverages in the United States were connected to many different cultural forces including immigration, women's suffrage, and the income tax. Eventually the Temperance movement led to the passing of Prohibition, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Widespread defiance of the law, uneven and unpopular enforcement, and violent crime associated with the illegal trade in alcohol caused increasing dissatisfaction with the amendment, eventually leading to its repeal 13 years later.
The episode describes how immigration, alcoholism, women's suffrage and the temperance movements led up to the passing of the 18th Amendment, Prohibition. Runtime: 96 minutes
2
"A Nation of Scofflaws"
October 3, 2011 (2011-10-03)
This episode addresses how the enforcement of Prohibition was inconsistent and caused unintended consequences, including making criminals of a large portion of the population. Runtime: 112 minutes
3
"A Nation of Hypocrites"
October 4, 2011 (2011-10-04)
This episode follows the gradual swing towards repeal of Prohibition as the Great Depression focuses attention on other priorities. Runtime: 106 minutes
"You can hear history talking directly to the Americans of 2011 all through 'Prohibition,' an absorbing five-and-a-half-hour documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick ... Especially now, the story of America's disastrous experiment with banning alcoholic beverages seems made for Santayana's phrase about learning from the past or being condemned to repeat it." – Neil Genzlinger, New York Times[4]
"Burns has the similar gift of that rare history professor who can captivate even the most reluctant student by bringing the material to life." – Hank Stuever, Washington Post[5]
"Prohibition provides a very fine analytic survey of the noble experiment." – Troy Patterson, Slate[6]
"Another piece of wonder by Ken Burns." – Tim Goodman, Hollywood Reporter[7]
