The American Industrial Revolution brought about a period of radical social reform. As America continued to grow and change, the development of new industries and technologies led to an emergence of societal trials and hardships. For part of a movement towards social change, the Eighteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920 that prohibited alcohol. President Herbert Hoover described this Prohibition Era as "a great social and economic experiment, noble in motive and far-reaching in purpose  (qtd in Lerner). Although the experiment sounded good in theory, Congress passed the 18th Amendment without considering the negative consequences that eventually led to its downfall thirteen years later. The push for temperance began almost fifty years earlier. Women's temperance unions led the movement towards prohibition in the 1870's. They led a moral crusade to convince Americans that alcohol provided a threat to the economic and social stability of society. They claimed that temperance "would energize political reform, promote community welfare, and improve public health (Blocker). The Anti-Saloon League (ASL) followed this with movements in 1893. They used a variety of propaganda to negatively portray Germans and their connection to alcohol. This anti-German sentiment along with the America's entrance to World War I, led to further support. Industrial leaders rallied in support of the cause in the early 1900's. The eighteenth amendment, which, "forbade the manufacture, transportation, sale, and importation and exportation of intoxicating beverages, was adopted by Congress in August 1917 with ratification needed in 7 years (Lerner). President Wilson vetoed on constitutional grounds stating "in all matters having to do with personal habits and customs of large numbers of our people we must be certain that the established processes of legal change are followed (qtd in Rebman 19). Congress overrode his veto and the Amendment was ratified. This was followed by the National Prohibition Act or Volstead Act further defining intoxicating beverages as anything higher than 0.5% which almost prohibited all alcoholic drinks. The Prohibition Era officially began on January 20, 1920 (Behr 78). Even though Prohibi