When America decided to ban alcohol in 1920, nearly every state lined up to make it official. Forty-six states ratified the 18th Amendment, eagerly (or reluctantly) signing on to what supporters called the "noble experiment." But two states stood firm in their refusal: Connecticut and Rhode Island.

These weren't just symbolic protests. Both states had legitimate reasons to resist, and their defiance tells us something important about how Prohibition actually played out across America.

Connecticut's Legislative Stalemate

Connecticut's rejection wasn't a unified "no"—it was a political gridlock. The state Senate voted to ratify the amendment, but the House refused to go along. Since both legislative bodies needed to approve, the whole thing stalled out. Connecticut simply never finished the ratification process, and that was that.

The split reflected genuine division among Connecticut residents. The state had a significant brewing industry and a strong immigrant population, particularly German and Irish communities, for whom beer and spirits were cultural touchstones. When Prohibition became federal law anyway, Connecticut's response was pure hostility. Enforcement was lax, speakeasies thrived, and many residents treated the law as an unwelcome intrusion from Washington.

Rhode Island's Legal Battle

Rhode Island took a different approach: they decided to fight. Rather than quietly abstaining, the state challenged Prohibition in the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing against the amendment's validity. It was a bold legal stand that ultimately went nowhere—the Court upheld Prohibition—but it demonstrated just how strongly Rhode Island opposed the measure.

Like Connecticut, Rhode Island had cultural and economic reasons to resist. The state's urban centers, particularly Providence, had vibrant social scenes centered around taverns and restaurants. The idea of the federal government dictating what people could drink didn't sit well in a state that prided itself on independent thinking (after all, this was the colony founded on religious freedom).

Prohibition Happened Anyway

Here's the kicker: their refusal didn't matter. The 18th Amendment only needed three-fourths of states to ratify it—36 out of 48. With 46 states on board, Connecticut and Rhode Island's opposition was noted and then completely ignored. Prohibition became the law of the land on January 17, 1920, applying to every state regardless of whether they'd ratified it.

Both states were forced to live under a law they'd rejected. And both became hotbeds of illegal alcohol activity, with smuggling routes, underground bars, and widespread public disregard for federal agents trying to enforce the ban.

The Last Laugh

In the end, Connecticut and Rhode Island got the last word. The "noble experiment" collapsed in spectacular failure. By 1933, the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition entirely, making it the only constitutional amendment ever to be fully overturned.

The two holdout states had been right all along: you can't legislate away cultural practices that are deeply woven into American life. Prohibition didn't stop drinking—it just pushed it underground, funded organized crime, and created a massive enforcement nightmare. When it finally ended, the whole country joined Connecticut and Rhode Island in saying: that was a terrible idea.

Related Tags