The 18th amendment, banning "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors" in the U.S., was ratified on January 16, 1919. For many women in the late 19th and early 20th century, control of alcohol was deeply intertwined with access to the vote, both seen as protecting women's civil liberties. But this connection sparked backlash from distilleries, breweries, and liquor distributors, who fought women’s suffrage as a means to defend their industry. | American Experience | PBS