Exam Technique: Evaluating "Success" and "Failure"
Part of Prohibition — GCSE History
This exam focus covers Exam Technique: Evaluating "Success" and "Failure" within Prohibition for GCSE History. Revise Prohibition in America 1920-1973 for GCSE History with 10 exam-style questions and 14 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 6 of 15 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
Topic position
Section 6 of 15
Practice
10 questions
Recall
14 flashcards
✍️ Exam Technique: Evaluating "Success" and "Failure"
Questions often ask whether Prohibition was a "success" or "failure." Here's how to structure a balanced answer:
| Arguments It "Succeeded" | Arguments It "Failed" |
|---|---|
|
• Alcohol consumption DID fall initially (by ~30%) • Some rural areas saw genuine reductions • Saloon culture declined — fewer public drunks • Some health improvements in early years • Showed democracy could attempt major social reform |
• Created organised crime worth billions • Corrupted police, judges, politicians • Violence increased dramatically • Millions became casual lawbreakers • Impossible to enforce • Had to be REPEALED (21st Amendment, 1933) • Only Amendment ever undone |
💡 How to conclude: "Overall, Prohibition must be judged a failure because the negative consequences far outweighed any benefits. The fact that it remains the ONLY Constitutional Amendment ever repealed shows that Americans themselves concluded it had failed."