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HomeAlcohol prohibition was ratified in the 18th Amendment in 1919. Over the course of the next thirteen years, support for Prohibition waned as the nation awoke to the widespread problems Prohibition had caused.

When FDR first ran for President in 1932, the repeal of Prohibition was one of his main campaign promises. A year later, he had to keep that promise with the creation of the 21st Amendment.

The 21st Amendment was first passed by Congress many months earlier, on February 20, 1933. It was first proposed two months earlier by Wisconsin Senator John Blaine. But it took the rest of the year for states to officially ratify the 21st Amendment.

On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment finally had ratification from 36 states, putting it into the Constitution. Roosevelt signed it into law at 7 p.m. that day, and brewers went right back to work.

On December 5th, 1933, Utah, the final state needed for a three quarters majority, ratified the 21st Amendment, repealing Prohibition and restoring the American right to a celebratory drink. While the amendment still allowed for state and local levels of Prohibition, by 1966 there were no state laws banning alcohol; Alcohol Prohibition had ended.