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Prohibition. Congress passed 18th Amendment in 1920 read: “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors...is hereby prohibited”. EFFECTS OF PROHIBITION. Alcohol consumption went down ⅓ Alcohol related deaths declined Decrease of arrests for drunkenness
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Prohibition • Congress passed 18th Amendment in 1920 • read: “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors...is hereby prohibited”
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
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
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.
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
Problem…. • Prohibition Bureau was significantly underfunded and staffed • 1,500 agents covering 18,700 miles of coastline plus inland.
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
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
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:
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Aftermath R Re-enactment
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.
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.