Prohibition and St. Croix Rum

In this activity, students will look at the US Congress joint resolution related to the 18th amendment, prohibition, and a poem entitled "Talking bout Xmas in de Virgin Isles" by José Patrick Gimenez. They will discuss the effects of prohibition on the US Virgin Islands rum industry. Students will think about power, authority and governance as related to prohibition. They will research the Rum Cover-Over Tax and its significance to the US Virgin Islands today.

Activity Type
Written Document
Historical Period:
US Virgin Islands

About

In January 1919, the US Congress ratified the 18th Amendment, banning the manufacture, sale and transport of alcoholic beverages. The United States purchased the Danish West Indies, which included St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John, from Denmark just a few years earlier. The economy of the islands, in particular St. Croix, had long been tied to the manufacture of rum. “Prohibition” ended in 1933 when the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th.

St. Thomas born poet José Patrick Gimenez authored several poems that spoke of prohibition’s effect on the territory, including "Talking bout Xmas in de Virgin Isles". The poem is found in Jose Patrick Gimenez's book "Virgin Islands Folklore and Other Poems" published in 1933.

José Patrick Gimenez (1893-1953) was born in St. Thomas on March 17, 1893. He was a poet and composer. He wrote in English, Spanish and West Indian dialect. He had many popular songs, wrote several books, was a great public speaker, a merchant, and a correspondent for the Puerto Rico Herald. (Source: Profiles of Outstanding Virgin Islands)

Primary Sources in this Activity

Item:
18th Amendment
Author / Artist:
Congress of the United States
Date:
1917
Source:
US National Archives
View Primary Source
Item:
Poem entitled “Talking bout Xmas in de Virgin Isles”
Author / Artist:
JP Gimenez
Source:
Caribbean Genealogy Library
View Primary Source

Suggested Teaching Instructions

The teacher can read the paragraphs included on the webpage with the joint resolution, to introduce the topic to students.

“This joint resolution proposed the Eighteenth Amendment. A joint resolution is a formal opinion adopted by both houses of the legislative branch. A constitutional amendment must be passed as a joint resolution before it is sent to the states for ratification. This resolution was submitted to the states on December 18, 1917, proposed amending the U.S. Constitution to prohibit the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors.” The amendment was ratified on January 16, 1919. “Prohibition” ended in 1933 when the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th.”

Next, discuss any words that students do not know. Possible terms that might require definitions: joint resolution, constitutional amendment, ratification, what are the two houses of the legislative branch, prohibition, and repealed.

Move on to analyzing the primary sources, there are two of them in this activity. First use the questions from the Written Document Analysis worksheet to have students analyze the joint resolution related to the 18th amendment.

After completing the analysis of the joint resolution, complete the discussion prompts related to that primary source. When finished, load and analyze the poem by José Patrick Gimenez, and continue the discussion.

Analyze the Primary Source

You may load the Analyze a Written Document worksheet on the smart board or on computers so that you can lead students through answering the questions, print the worksheet and distribute to your students, or adapt the questions from the worksheet to create your own. Primary Source Analysis Worksheets

Have students complete the analyze worksheet individually, in small groups, or as a class. Help students as needed to complete the worksheets. Review their answers and the observations as a class.

Class Discussion

What is the joint resolution going to prohibit? Where does it affect? Are the US Virgin Islands going to be affected? Directly? Indirectly? Use information from joint resolution to explain your answer. What is the date of this resolution? (1917 and 1919) What is significant about 1917 for the Virgin Islands? (Transfer from Denmark to United States.)

Have students think about industries in the US Virgin Islands? Do they know about the rum industry?
Can students think of businesses that would be affected in the US Virgin Islands if prohibition was happening now?

Next, read the poem “Talking bout Xmas in de Virgin Isles” by José Patrick Gimenez.

The teacher can help students read and interpret the poem. It is written in dialect. Can students identify some Christmas traditions mentioned in the poem that still exist today? What effect does the poet say prohibition had in the US Virgin Islands? What industry, and which island, has it affected most?

General information: The 18th amendment was repealed by the 21st amendment, and titles I and II of the National Prohibition Act. It was repealed for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on March 2nd, 1934.

Authority and Governance Discussion: Decisions made in the United States Congress can affect its territories, what do students think about that? Explain their position. Who does the US Virgin Islands have in Congress today, that gives the territory a voice? Did that position exist in 1917 when the 18th amendment took effect? What is the Delegate to Congress’s job? Who is the current Delegate to Congress for the US Virgin Islands? What do you think the Delegate to Congress for the US Virgin Islands could do, if Congress again tried to prohibit the production and sale of alcohol in the country including its territories?

Project Ideas

Have students research the Rum Cover-Over Tax. They will write an essay on what the tax is, and how it relates to the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. They will also research what the Delegate to Congress for the US Virgin Islands has been working on related to the Rum Cover-Over Tax in recent years, and why that work has been required. How important is the Rum Cover-Over Tax for the US Virgin Islands? Explain.

Related Books & Resources

Title:
Virgin Islands Folklore and Other Poems
Author:
José Patrick Gimenez
Level:
Junior High School