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.
Episodes
"A Nation of Drunkards" (1 hr 34 min) describes how immigration, alcoholism,
women's suffrage and the
temperance movements led up to the passing of the 18th Amendment, Prohibition.
"A Nation of Scofflaws" (1 hr 50 min) addresses how the enforcement of Prohibition was inconsistent and caused
unintended consequences, including making criminals of a large portion of the population.
"A Nation of Hypocrites" (1 hr 45 min) follows the gradual swing towards repeal of Prohibition as the
Great Depression focuses attention on other priorities.[3]
"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]