Congress passed 18th Amendment in 1920 o read: the manufacture,
sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors...is hereby
prohibited
Slide 2
Alcohol consumption went down Alcohol related deaths declined
Decrease of arrests for drunkenness Many have stopped drinking for
reasons o Pro-Temperance o Respect for Constitution o Fear of
prosecution o Lack of funds to purchase black market liquor
Slide 3
Labeled intoxicating beverages as anything less than 1/2 of 1%
alcohol BUT Drinking alcohol remained legal as well as making
alcohol for own use. Previously bought liquor by people or clubs
was allowed Makers of patent medicine containing alcohol were still
allowed to sell it Selling of Alcohol was legal for: o Medicinal o
Sacramental o Jewish household allowed certain amount per year
Slide 4
Responsibility was on Federal Govt Divided into two
departments: o Treasury: With Prohibition Bureau, arrested,
gathered and destroyed evidence o Justice: prosecuted violators
State that didnt support Prohibition didnt support federal govt
Federal Govt wanted states to enforce own strict laws.
Slide 5
Would require 250,000 agents to enforce the law Only 200 agents
for the entire state o politicians started to just hand out
positions for the P.B they werent trained Shot innocent bystanders
Demanded bribes from bootleggers NYC police did not get
involved
Slide 6
Prohibition Bureau was significantly underfunded and staffed
1,500 agents covering 18,700 miles of coastline plus inland.
Slide 7
Americans still got hands on liquor Entered the illegal market
as roles of moonshiners, rumrunners, and bootleggers Cocktail
parties became fashionable Speakeasies started to rise o consist of
middle/upper-middle class men/women Created rebellious youth in
America Changed the mentality of women in public o known as
Flappers
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Coast Guard only had 50 vessels to man entire coastline Ships
would drop anchor just beyond U.S Jurisdiction. Smaller boats take
the liquor from freight ships. Liquor cargo would land on the beach
where it would be picked up
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Led to a significant rise in organized crime The Mafia and
other Gangs saw the potential of making tens of millions of
dollars. o Some of the famous gangsters:
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M od bosses would put the fix on the corrupt police, federal
agents, and judges. o Pay them for protection and interference from
the honest police. Competition would problematic. o Disputes over
turf and clientele sparked violence. o Gang-related violence
repeatedly made headline.
Slide 17
Started as an Attorney defending bootleggers Bought up
distilleries as drug companies Profits were all tax free cash o
made $79,000 a day 3,000 employees working 3 shifts a day Making
millions a year Paid off local, state, and federal officials
Slide 18
George Remus who F. Scott Fitzgerald based his character Jay
Gatsby on, became so rich from bootlegging that he use to leave
$100 dollar bills under his guest dinner plates. And once he gave
brand new 1923 Pontiac automobiles to 50 of his female guest.
Slide 19
Gained control over speakeasies, bookie joints, gambling
houses, brothels, horse and racetrack, night clubs, distilleries,
and breweries Made an income of $100 million a year Extensive spy
network of paperboys and policemen Skillful of isolating and
killing his enemies when too powerful.
Slide 20
Bugs Moran another mob boss was a threat to Al Capone and Jack
McGurn. To get rid of Moran, Capone and McGurns men in police
uniform and car would put on a fake raid. Raid was successful,
which resulted in the defenseless massacre of Morans 6 men and one
bystander.
Slide 21
Aftermath R Re-enactment
Slide 22
Influenced American culture Impacted slang, music, and movies
hundreds of new words were created to describe drinking, drinkers,
and alcohol Hollywood movies displayed the lavish lifestyles of
young men and women disobeying the law by going to speakeasies and
cocktail parties.
Slide 23
Was the inspiration for a lot of popular music o Some songs was
written about alcohol and prohibition using familiar tunes Everyday
Will Be Sunday When the Town Goes Dry- Edward Meeker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p87BKwpGcaM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p87BKwpGcaM Its the Smart Feller
Who Stocked Up His Cellar Who WIll Get All the Beautiful Girls-
Maurice Burkhart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCRZ8HA5w-M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCRZ8HA5w-M Prohibition would
popularize Jazz throughout the country.