21st Amendment ends Prohibition (1933)
The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment, ending the nationwide alcohol ban in place since 1920. It gave states authority to regulate the production, sale, and transport of alcohol within their borders.
States legalized and began regulating alcohol sales; bars and taverns returned to American cities.
A state-license system for serving alcohol became standard, which is why a business like Half Glass needs government approval before pouring drinks.
This is the legal foundation for the license Half Glass holds: Washington and Seattle can require a drinking place to obtain city and state approvals before opening.
