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The Era of Prohibition: Effects, Enforcement, and Organized Crime

Explore the impact of the Prohibition era in the 1920s, from the decline in alcohol consumption to the rise of organized crime. Learn about the Volstead Act, enforcement challenges, and how it shaped American culture through slang, music, and movies.

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The Era of Prohibition: Effects, Enforcement, and Organized Crime

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Prohibition • Congress passed 18th Amendment in 1920 • read: “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors...is hereby prohibited”

  2. EFFECTS OF PROHIBITION • Alcohol consumption went down ⅓ • Alcohol related deaths declined • Decrease of arrests for drunkenness • Many have stopped drinking for reasons • Pro-Temperance • Respect for Constitution • Fear of prosecution • Lack of funds to purchase black market liquor

  3. VOLSTEAD ACT • 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: • Medicinal • Sacramental • Jewish household allowed certain amount per year

  4. ENFORCEMENT • Responsibility was on Federal Gov’t • Divided into two departments: • Treasury: With Prohibition Bureau, arrested, gathered and destroyed evidence • Justice: prosecuted violators • State that didn’t support Prohibition didn’t support federal gov’t • Federal Gov’t wanted states to enforce own strict laws.

  5. Enforcement in NY • Would require 250,000 agents to enforce the law • Only 200 agents for the entire state • politicians started to just hand out positions for the P.B • they weren’t trained • Shot innocent bystanders • Demanded bribes from bootleggers • NYC police did not get involved

  6. Problem…. • Prohibition Bureau was significantly underfunded and staffed • 1,500 agents covering 18,700 miles of coastline plus inland.

  7. Drinking During Prohibition • 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 • consist of middle/upper-middle class men/women • Created rebellious youth in America • Changed the mentality of women in public • known as Flappers

  8. RUM ROW • 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

  9. Prohibition and Organize Crime • Led to a significant rise in organized crime • The Mafia and other Gangs saw the potential of making tens of millions of dollars. • Some of the famous gangsters:

  10. GEORGE REMUS CINCINNATI

  11. SALVATORE LUCKY LUCIANO NYC

  12. AL CAPONE CHICAGO

  13. Organized Crime Cont. • Mod bosses would “put the fix” on the corrupt police, federal agents, and judges. • Pay them for protection and interference from the honest police. • Competition would problematic. • Disputes over turf and clientele sparked violence. • Gang-related violence repeatedly made headline.

  14. GEORGE REMUS • Started as an Attorney defending bootleggers • Bought up distilleries as drug companies • Profits were all tax free cash • made $79,000 a day • 3,000 employees working 3 shifts a day • Making millions a year • Paid off local, state, and federal officials

  15. Remus cont. • 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.

  16. AL CAPONE • 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.

  17. St. Valentine Day Massacre • Bugs Moran another mob boss was a threat to Al Capone and Jack McGurn. • To get rid of Moran, Capone and McGurn’s men in police uniform and car would put on a fake raid. • Raid was successful, which resulted in the defenseless massacre of Moran’s 6 men and one bystander.

  18. Aftermath R Re-enactment

  19. Prohibition and Pop Culture • 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.

  20. Pop Culture Cont. • Was the inspiration for a lot of popular music • 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 • “It’s 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 • Prohibition would popularize Jazz throughout the country.

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