America and Alcohol

January 16th, 1919, the US 18th Amendment was ratified. At the time of ratification, the meaning of "intoxicating beverages" was not made clear in the amendment. Many believed that beer and wine would be exempt but this was disproved by the Volstead Act. A year after ratification, Prohibition went into effect. 

http://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1901-1950/The-Volstead-Act/

(http://billofrightsinstitute.org/resources/educator-resources/lessons-plans/prohibition-download/)