Final answer:
Prohibition in the U.S. was heavily lobbied for by the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the Anti-Saloon League, among other reformers. These groups linked alcohol to societal problems, supported by Protestant churches' moral agendas. The 18th Amendment, ratified in 1919, formalized prohibition but was repealed in 1933.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lobbying efforts to ban the sale of alcohol in the United States were primarily driven by organizations that saw alcohol consumption as the root of many societal problems. The most influential organizations in this movement were the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and the Anti-Saloon League.
These organizations, often supported by Protestant churches and propelled by the Social Gospel Movement, sought to apply Christian morality to social reform.
In addition to these groups, employers and political reformers also supported prohibition because of concerns that alcohol led to decreased worker efficiency and political corruption.
The strong advocacy from these organizations and societal figures, along with the cultural and economic circumstances of the time, such as anti-German sentiment during World War I and food rationing, eventually led to the ratification of the 18th Amendment in January 1919, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors.
The subsequent Volstead Act provided the means to enforce this constitutional amendment, although it was ultimately repealed in 1933 due to overwhelming public opposition and difficulty in enforcement.