The Prohibition Era was a significant period in American history that had a profound impact on the social, cultural, and economic landscape of the country. This era, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, was marked by the nationwide ban on the production, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages. This ban was enforced through the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution and was intended to address various social and moral concerns prevalent at the time. Supporters of Prohibition believed that banning alcohol would lead to a reduction in crime, poverty, and other social issues associated with alcohol consumption.

In Hang the Moon, Prohibition affects the characters’ motivations, relationships, and experiences. The illicit nature of alcohol consumption, the emergence of underground economies, and the tension between personal freedoms and societal regulations contribute to the complexity of the characters’ lives. Through Sallie Kincaid’s character, the novel also explores the negative impacts of the Prohibition Era on common people, who believed prohibition laws were made by out-of-touch politicians:

Big old ugly word that means you ain’t allowed to do something. A bunch of numbskulls in Richmond and Washington who think they’re smarter than everyone else pro-hib-it-ing other people from doing what they got to do to keep their families from starving to death.