1. How far was the USA a divided society in the 1920’s?
The USA in the 1920’s
How far was the USA a divided society in the 1920’s?

2. Rich Vs Poor
Whilst some people in America were getting very rich off the stock market some were very poor
Farmers were definitely worse off living just above the poverty line

3. Divided Society
After being given freedom by the US Government, black people were still forced to live segregated lives.
Black children were forced to attend different schools
Public benches, toilets and water fountains were labeled: white or coloured
Segregation Laws sometimes called the Jim Crow laws

4. W – White A – Anglo S – Saxon P – Protestants The Klu Klux Klan
The KKK was a white supremacy group which was made up of WASPs
W – White
A – Anglo
S – Saxon
P – Protestants

5. The KKK
The KKK used brutal violence with Black people being lynched or burned.
The KKK was banned in 1872 but it still continued to operate
Judges and other high ranking officials were Klan members, so it was difficult to stop them
The Klan was very strong in rural areas
A secret society with membership rituals
Roots among poor whites
1921 – 100,000 Members
1925 – 5 million Members

6. Prohibition
1919 the 18th Amendment or the Volstead Act came in banning the sale, transport, or manufacture of alcohol illegal
Prohbition was a failure because
People kept drinking, few agents meant few convictions
Liquour trade went underground with speakeasies and moonshine
Made crimnials of ordinary people
Gangsters flourished with the supply of alcohol
“Prohibition is a business. All I do is supply a public demand. I do it in the best and least harmful way I can” Al Capone

7. Organised Crime
Organised crime stepped in to take over from the breweries and spirits manufacturers:
They ran the speakeasies, and bootlegging.
They also ran protection rackets, prostitution and drug-running.
They bribed trade union leaders, police, lawyers, judges and even Senators.
The most famous gangster was Al Capone, who earned $100,000 a year from beer sales alone, ran a private army of more than 700 mobsters, and is thought to have murdered more than 200 opponents.
They fought with each other for control of their 'territory' - the most famous incident was the St Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929, when 'torpedoes' from Capone's gang shot dead 7 members of Bugs Moran's gang.