Prohibition Party

Prohibition Party, minor U.S. political party. It was founded in 1869 to prohibit the manufacture and consumption of alcohol and has fielded candidates for president and vice president in every national election since 1872. Its greatest showing was in 1892 when Gen. John Bidwell received 271,000 votes. Pressure from the party and other anti-alcohol crusaders led to the imposition of nationwide prohibition (1919–33) through passage of the 18th Amendment.