Exam Connection

Frequency: This topic appeared in 4 out of 5 recent AQA sittings (HIGH). Prohibition features regularly as describe-two, explain-why, and essay questions.

Typical questions you will face:

• "Describe two features of Prohibition" (4 marks) — Strong answers: "The 18th Amendment (1920) banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol, intending to reduce crime and poverty" (Feature 1) + "Speakeasies — illegal bars — spread everywhere; there were 30,000 in New York City alone, showing that Prohibition actually increased drinking venues" (Feature 2).
• "Explain why Prohibition failed" (8 marks) — Classic question. At Level 3: explain demand couldn't be eliminated → created criminal opportunity → bootlegging and speakeasies → organised crime and corruption. Use Capone's $60m/year as evidence. Link causes together.
• "How far do you agree that Prohibition was a failure?" (12+4 marks) — Argue AGAINST failure first (alcohol consumption fell, some success), then FOR failure (organised crime, corruption, lawbreaking, eventual repeal). Conclude: the 21st Amendment proves America itself judged it a failure.

For Level 3+ on the 8-mark explain question: Show HOW enforcement failure caused organised crime: "With only 1,500 agents earning $2,500/year covering the whole country, enforcement was impossible. This allowed gangsters like Al Capone to build bootlegging empires — Capone earned $60 million per year in Chicago alone. Corruption was inevitable: agents earning $2,500 couldn't resist bribes from gangsters offering $300,000. One in twelve agents was eventually fired for corruption." — This level of specific evidence and causal explanation reaches Level 3-4.