drinking age?

Question

what was the drinking age in the 1940s? I'm writing a story based in the 1940s? do you know any search engines where i can find this info? I searched for it on google and akjeeves

Answer 1

The national minimum drinking age has undergone four major changes since the 1920s. The first took place with passage of the 18th Amendment which ushered in the era of prohibition and was designed to block the consumption of alcohol entirely. The second change occurred shortly thereafter in the 1930s with passage of the 21st Amendment which repealed prohibition and established a MDA of 21 in most states. The third major change did not occur until 1970 when the 26th Amendment was passed which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, changing America's perception of when adulthood began. Subsequently, 29 states lowered their drinking ages between 1970 and 1974. This change brought a disparity of MDAs among the states and ultimately led to the fourth major change, the passage of the 1984 law which tied federal highway funds to a 21-year-old minimum drinking age.

Answer 2

After receiving little attention from 1940 to 1970, minimum-age laws were a focus of debate and policy change in the United States from 1970 to 1985. In the 1970s, 29 states lowered the legal age, and in the late 1970s and early 1980s, all states with an age below 21 raised the legal age to 21 for all types of alcoholic beverages. Research on the effects of such policy changes were a central component in the political debates on minimum-age laws. The process by which research results influenced public policy deliberations is discussed. Characteristics that facilitated research results being taken into account in the policy debates included

In the 1940's, California law made it illegal to serve alcohol to a gay (homosexual) person

Answer 3

Two of the above answers are great so let me just emphasized that it varied state to state so you have to check for the jurisdiction you've set your story in.

Answer 4

it was 18

Answer 5

i don't know for sure, but i do know that when my aunt was a kid in the 40's(like 8), my grandpa used to send her down the street to buy cigs and liquor.