USA: Prohibition + Crime

All these mindmaps are segmented into different topics 

I printed mine on A3 paper as i found it v difficult to use online and A4 was wayyy too small making the bubbles unreadable 

Beware of the typos I was too lazy to fix them whoops 

Enjoy the revison :)

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  • USA: Prohibition + Crime
    • Origins
      • 1895: Anti-Saloon league established
      • By 1917: Alcohol banned in several states
      • Dec 1917: 18th Amendment passed
      • Jan 1919: 18th Amendment ratified
      • Jan 1920: 18th Amendment comes into effect (law enforcement set up = prohibition agents to catch those with alcohol
    • Key terms
      • Prohibition= the legal banning of alcohol
      • Speakeasy = "private clubs" which served food + alcohol
      • Bootleg = Speakeasies served "bootleg" alcohol made illegally in the USA or smuggled from other countries
      • Moonshine = the worst "bars" served Moonshine which was a home brewed alcohol that could be v dangerousdrink
    • Why were prohibition laws passed?
      • Negative effects of alcohol
        • Breaks up homes + families
        • Health issues
        • Crime
      • During the war, grain was needed for food more than alcohol production
      • Long-term public pressure
    • Organised Crime = crime that was so successful that it evolved into a business
      • Prohibition gave it perfect conditions to grow
        • Gangeters took over sale + distribution of alcohol as there was high demand + profits
        • Gangsters ran gambling dens, brothels + clubs as they were making sm money, gangsters could bribe the police, prohibition agents, judges, juries+ local officials (corruption)
    • Link
      • Prohibition led to an increase in organised crime
      • Corruptionmeant that gangs were able to bribe the police + prohibition agents
      • Prohibition gave gangsters a new business outlook as alcohol sales increased
    • Gang war = powerful rival gangs fighting each other in order to control parts of cities
      • e.g. valentines day Massacre:14th Feb 1929 Al Capones gang killed 7 rivals Bugs Moran gang in Chicago (no one was arrested)
      • 1929: 400 gang related killings in chicago
    • Factors contributing to gang war
      • prohibition
        • gave gangs money + power
        • reduced the respect for the law as it involved million of ordinary ppl in breaking the law
      • War
        • many ex-soldiers = used to killing
      • cars
        • Made it possible for a surprise attack + quick getaway
      • Money
        • Gangs made sm money that they could bribe politicians = corruption
      • violence
        • Many eyewitnesses were unprepared to testify against bangs = fear
    • Why did Prohibition fail?
      • Enforcement problems
        • US border with Canada = 6,416km. US border with Mexico = 3,141km. The only way to stop smuggling was to have a constant border control (not enough officers) = easier smuggling
        • Gangs made alcohol or ppl made their own = officers meant to stop this
        • Prohibition officers did not get cooperation from state police = corruption
        • 1920: 1,512 enforcement agents 1925: 2,320 1930: 2,836 (not enough + expensive)
        • legal alcohol sales: 15m in 3yrs = not working
      • Public Opinion
        • Disagreed with prohibition= disagreed with the Volstead act so were happy to drink giving that gangs a market
        • happy to break the law corruption = not get caught
        • more alcohol related deaths as more people were drinking than before e.g. moonshine increased death
      • Corruption
        • Enforcement officers did not get  paid very well = not much for the risks they took e.g. beaten up by gangs
        • If officers cooperated with gangs they got bribes = worked for gangs by setting / smugglingalcohol
        • Even if officers were not corrupt, they could be obstructed by state police, judges / gov who were
        • Bribed judges let criminals off in trials

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