A Unique Adjustment
After its adoption in 1787, the initial version of the Constitution of the United
States of America went into effect in 1789. The original Constitution was the
framework that outlined the supreme law of the land. The initial version consisted
of seven articles, or major sections, that are retained today.
The first three articles describe the powers of the three branches of the federal or
central government: the legislative branch (Congress), the executive branch (the
President), and the judicial branch (the Supreme Court and other courts). Two
articles deal with the relationships between and among states and the relationships
between the states and the federal government. The remaining two articles outline
the procedures for amending, or revising, the Constitution and for ratifying, or
approving, the Constitution.
In 1791, two years after the ratification of the initial version of the Constitution, the
Bill of Rights went into effect. The Bill of Rights consists of the first 10 amendments
or additions to the Constitution. The objective of these amendments was to restrict,
or limit, the power of the federal government, so the rights of individual citizens
would be protected. Subsequent to the Bill of Rights, there have been 17 additional
amendments.
A unique adjustment to the Constitution is the 21st Amendment. For the one and
only time (hence, the use of the word unique), one amendment repealed, or undid,
another amendment. The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment. The 18th
Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol from 1920 to
1933. This period of U.S. history is known as Prohibition.
Prohibition was called the “Noble Experiment.” It was thought that banning alcohol
would reduce crime, promote stronger families, and improve the nation’s
productivity and character. Nonetheless, the benefits of this so-called experiment
were not achieved. Prohibition actually had the opposite effect! Formerly lawabiding citizens turned into criminals. The crime rate soared from sales of illegal
alcohol, which was often made from dangerous chemicals. Another unintended
consequence was that without alcohol sales, the federal government lost tax
revenues of $11 billion. Furthermore, the federal government spent more than $300
million enforcing the amendment.
After 13 years of the failed experiment, the 21st Amendment was ratified on
December 5, 1933. This amendment repealed the 18th Amendment, and the
manufacture, sale, or transport of alcohol was no longer illegal. The federal
government abdicated the responsibility of regulating laws concerning alcohol.
These laws are now determined by the states.
Copyright©2013 by Neuhaus Education Center