Prohibition

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  • Prohibition: 1920-1933
    • Why was Prohibition introduced?
      • Decline in Moral Values
        • Some people believed that alcohol was contributing to a decline in moral values.
        • Some politicians campaigned for prohibition as they believed it would make America a happier and healthier place.
      • Religion
        • Many churches and other religious organisations opposed alcohol as they believed it caused many social issues, such as addiction, debt, poverty and violence.
      • Patriots
        • Most beers were either imported from Germany or made by German immigrants.
        • During WW1, Americans who drank beer who brandished as traitors.
      • Rural America
        • People living in the country saw towns and cities as places filled with crime and violence- both fuelled by alcohol.
        • There was a strong campaign against alcohol led by pressure groups such as the Anti-Saloon League.
    • Effect on Organised Crime
      • Gang Leaders, such as Al Capone, were rarely arrested or charged, because they had a great control over the police.
      • Gangs wern't only involved in the illegal alcohol trade. They also made money from: fixing sporting events, running brothels and racketeering.
        • Racketeering is when business men paid money to gangs to stop them from smashing their properties.
      • Gangs made so much money they were able to bribe the justice system, including officers and judges as well as border agents.
    • Impact on Society
      • By 1933, it was clear prohibition wasn't working.
      • There were approximately 200,000 speakeasies across the US. In NY they're were more speakeasies than there were bars before 1920.
      • Association Against the Prohibition Amendment (AAPA) attracted thousands of members.
      • Legal jobs would be made available in the brewing industry if alcohol was legalised again.
      • Government could tax the alcohol themselves.
    • Why was Prohibition difficult to enforce?
      • The US has 18,600 miles of coastline and land borders to protect. It was a near impossible job to prevent 'bootleg' alcohol entering the country.
      • Millions of people still wanted to drink and were willing to break the law to do so.
      • Involvement of Criminal Gangs
        • Gangs involved themselves in the production of 'moonshine' and the importation of 'bootleg' alcohol.
        • Gangs ran illegal bars called 'speakeasies'

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