Prohibition
- Created by: bethxalston
- Created on: 23-12-21 17:05
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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.
- Decline in Moral Values
- 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'
- Why was Prohibition introduced?
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