What about "before the 19th century? (à voir) 

During the 19th century America started to become a nation of drunkers. People used to drink a lot and spend all their time in saloons. This kind of way of life became very dangerous and men started to beat their families.

Americans spend a lot of money in liquor,rhum and a lot of other alcohols. In the all world America started a have a very bad image and the country was always associated with alcohol. Alcohol was also the cause of a lot of accidents (explicitez) and it wasn't acceptable anymore. That's why the state adopted the 18th amendment which  made alcohol an illegal thing. That's when started the controversy of the prohibition

Willem