What possible reason could explain why the prohibitation amendment was ratified by three-fourths of the states

Question

and then was so flagrantly violated throughout the 1920's? please give detailed answers!! and long ones to!! thanx much people!!

Answer 1

there is a very simple and short answer:
you can not legislate morality
period

Answer 2

"Hostility to saloons and their political influence was characteristic of the Progressive Era. Supported by the anti-German mood of World War I, the Anti-Saloon League, working with both major parties, pushed the Constitutional amendment through Congress and the states, taking effect in 1920."

"Prohibition was an important force in state and local politics from the 1840s through the 1930s. The political forces involved were ethnoreligious in character, as demonstrated by numerous historical studies. Prohibition was demanded by the "dries"—primarily pietistic Protestant denominations, especially the Methodists, Northern Baptists, Southern Baptists, Presbyterians, Disciples, Congregationalists, Quakers, and Scandinavian Lutherans. They identified saloons as politically corrupt, and drinking as a personal sin. They were opposed by the "wets"—primarily liturgical Protestants (Episcopalians, German Lutherans) and Roman Catholics, who denounced the idea that the government should define morality. Even in the wet stronghold of New York City there was an active prohibition movement, led by Norwegian church groups and African-American labor activists who believed that Prohibition would benefit workers, especially African-Americans. Tea merchants and soda fountain manufacturers also supported Prohibition, thinking a ban on alcohol would increase sales of their products."

"Nationwide prohibition was accomplished by means of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (ratified 1919-01-29) and the Volstead Act (passed 1919-10-28). Prohibition began on 1920-01-16, when the Eighteenth Amendment went into effect. [...] Principal impetus for the accomplishment of Prohibition were members of the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and the Prohibition Party. It was truly a cooperative effort with "progressives" making up a substantial portion of both major political parties. The main force were pietistic Protestants, who comprised majorities in the Republican party in the North, and the Democratic party in the South. Catholics and Germans were the main opponents; however, Germans were discredited by World War I and their protests were ignored."

"Although it was highly controversial, Prohibition was widely supported by diverse groups. Progressives believed that it would improve society and the Ku Klux Klan strongly supported its strict enforcement as generally did women, Southerners, those living in rural areas, and African-Americans."

"Prohibition in the United States" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States#Nationwide_prohibition

Paul Kleppner, "The Third Electoral System 1853-1892: Parties, Voters, and Political Cultures". (1979) pp 131-39

Paul Kleppner, "Continuity and Change in Electoral Politics, 1893-1928". (1987)

Ballard Campbell, "Did Democracy Work? Prohibition in Late Nineteenth-century Iowa: a Test Case." Journal of Interdisciplinary History (1977) 8(1): 87-116

Eileen McDonagh, "Representative Democracy and State Building in the Progressive Era." American Political Science Review 1992 86(4): 938-950.

Answer 3

It was created to conserve sugar during WW1. It was violated because it was a dumb idea.