Which statement best captures the irony of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Amendments?

• A. The Eighteenth banned alcohol while the Nineteenth promoted a political movement
• B. The Eighteenth made a common practice illegal; the Nineteenth made a long-standing restriction legal
• C. The Eighteenth restricted speech and the Nineteenth increased taxes
• D. The Eighteenth created literacy tests; the Nineteenth created poll taxes

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is the emotional contrast in policy: one amendment targets a common social habit by making it illegal, while the other changes who can participate in democracy by removing a long-standing restriction based on gender. The Eighteenth Amendment banned alcohol, a practice many people engaged in, while the Nineteenth Amendment opened voting to women, removing a barrier that had limited political participation for a long time. The statement that pairs these two effects—one turning a common practice illegal and the other removing a long-standing restriction—highlights that surprising reversal in social policy, which is why it’s the best fit. The other options either misstate the effects or shift the focus away from that stark contrast between prohibition and expanded suffrage.