Webb–Kenyon Act

Webb–Kenyon Act is a United States federal law that was passed in 1913. The Act was named after its sponsors, Representative Edwin Y. Webb of North Carolina and Senator William S. Kenyon of Iowa. The Webb–Kenyon Act prohibited the transportation of alcoholic beverages from a wet state, where the sale of alcohol was legal, to a dry state, where it was illegal.

Background

The Eighteenth Amendment, which established the prohibition of alcohol in the United States, was not ratified until 1919. However, the movement towards prohibition had been growing for several decades prior to this. The Webb–Kenyon Act was a significant step towards national prohibition.

Provisions

The Webb–Kenyon Act made it illegal to ship alcoholic beverages from a state where their sale was legal (a wet state) to a state where their sale was illegal (a dry state). This was a significant expansion of federal power, as it effectively gave the federal government the authority to enforce state liquor laws.

Impact

The Webb–Kenyon Act was a significant step towards the prohibition of alcohol in the United States. It was one of several federal laws passed in the early 20th century that sought to regulate the alcohol industry. The Act was upheld by the Supreme Court in the case of Clark Distilling Co. v. Western Maryland Railway Co., which confirmed the federal government's authority to regulate interstate commerce in this way.

Repeal

The Webb–Kenyon Act was effectively repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment, which ended prohibition in 1933. However, the Act's legacy continues to influence American alcohol policy to this day.

See also

• Prohibition in the United States
• Volstead Act
• Alcohol laws of the United States