Prohibition

Prohibition, a three-part documentary series, is the fascinating story of idealism, folly, and above all, unintended consequences. In 1920, after a century of debate, America amends the Constitution to ban the manufacture and sale of alcohol, turning millions of law-abiding citizens into lawbreakers overnight. Over the next 13 years, a society founded on individual freedom becomes a nation of scofflaws - and hypocrites.

Here are the stories of the small-time whiskey-jobbers, big-time bootleggers, and brutal gangsters; flappers dancing the Charleston in speakeasies; immigrant families stomping grapes in the basement and making moonshine in their backyards. But beyond the cocktails, this is also a darker tale about divisive single-issue lobbyists; fear-mongering and smear campaigns; and the perils of unfunded mandates. It raises profound questions about the proper role of government, individual rights and responsibilities, and who is and who is not a real American.

By the 1930s, few can deny that Prohibition is a disaster, and with the country in the throes of the Great Depression, Americans have finally had enough. In 1933, they come to their senses and repeal the 18th Amendment, putting an end to the "Noble Experiment".