Claim Citation Readiness
Claim Count
2
Claim Fact-Check Status
Claims
Contributors
Date Precision
Exact day
Destination URL
Display Date
January 17, 1920
End Sort Year
1920
Era
Prohibition and Repeal
Event ID
77
Evidence Confidence
Strong
Featured?
Geography
United States
Historical Significance
Marks the transition from ratification and implementing legislation to the operative national constitutional regime.
Last Reviewed
September 2, 2026
Publication Status
Published
Record Type
Event
Research Notes
The one-year constitutional delay ran from ratification on January 16, 1919; the Library of Congress chronology identifies January 17, 1920 as the beginning of legal enforcement.
Scope
American Whiskey Core
Start Sort Year
1920
Summary
The Eighteenth Amendment became operative and legal enforcement of National Prohibition began on January 17, 1920.
Thematic Lanes
Law and TaxationBusiness and MarketsCulture and Consumption
Timeline Date
January 17, 1920
Evidence anchor
Library of Congress, “Prohibition: Topics in Chronicling America,” complete HTML page fully reviewed and preserved.
Drafting guardrail
Keep this operative date distinct from January 16, 1919 ratification and October 28, 1919 enactment of the Volstead Act.