The Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified to repeal Prohibition, which had been established by the Eighteenth Amendment in 1919. Prohibition aimed to reduce crime and corruption, but it had unintended consequences, including the rise of illegal speakeasies and a booming black market for alcohol. By the early 1930s, the American public had grown increasingly disillusioned with the effects of Prohibition, particularly the associated crime wave and the loss of tax revenue from alcohol sales during the Great Depression. The economic pressures of this era fueled calls for reform.

Ratification efforts for the Twenty-first Amendment began in earnest in 1933, with Congress proposing the amendment and sending it to the states for ratification. The public sentiment across the nation increasingly favored repeal. By December 5, 1933, enough states had ratified the amendment, securing its passage. The amendment allowed states to regulate alcohol sales but also laid the groundwork for federal taxation on alcoholic beverages, thus providing a much-needed revenue source during a time of economic hardship.

The repeal of Prohibition had immediate and lasting effects on society. It re-established a legal alcohol market, which infused new life into bars, breweries, and distilleries across the United States. Citizens celebrated the return to social norms previously disrupted by Prohibition, reclaiming a cultural aspect of life that had been constrained for over thirteen years. However, the legacies of the period persisted, influencing future discussions about drug policy and law enforcement's role in personal behavior.