Prohibition The 18th Amendment

What was ‘Prohibition’? A law called the Volstead Act introduced in the USA in January 1920. It banned the manufacture, sale and transport of alcohol. The federal government had the power to enforce this law. It theory the USA became ‘dry’. It has since become known as the ‘noble experiment’.

Why was prohibition introduced? It already existed in many states Moral reasons Campaigners like the Anti-Saloon League of America The First World War

What is the message of this cartoon? (6)

What is the message of this cartoon? (6)

What were the effects of prohibition? Speakeasies Moonshine Smuggling Organised crime

Speakeasies Secret saloon bars opened up in cellars and back rooms. They had names like the ‘Dizzy Club’ and drinkers had to give a password or knock at the door in code to be let in. Speakeasies sold ‘bootleg’ alcohol, smuggled into America from abroad. Before Prohibition there were 15,000 bars in New York. By 1926 there were 30,000 speakeasies!

Moonshine A spirit made secretly in home made stills. Several hundred people a year died from this during the 1920s. In 1929 it is estimated that 700 million gallons of beer were produced in American homes.

‘Bootleggers’ Smugglers called ‘Bootleggers’ made thousands of dollars bringing in illegal alcohol to America. America has thousands of miles of frontiers so it proved easy. Famous smugglers like William McCoy made fortunes by bringing alcohol from the West Indies and Canada.

Organised Crime The enormous profits to be made attracted gangsters who started to take control of many cities. They bribed the police, judges and politicians. They controlled the speakeasies and the distilleries, and ruthlessly exterminated their rivals.

Al Capone By 1927 he was earning some $60 million a year from bootlegging. His gang was like a private army. He had more than 7000 men under his direct control. He was responsible for over 500 murders. On 14th February 1929, Capone’s men dressed as police officers murdered 7 members of a rival gang. This became known as the ‘Valentine’s Day Massacre.’

The FBI Although it was created in 1908, the FBI was a small agency until prohibition Their primary job was to enforce federal laws across state lines since state agencies could not cross state lines without permission With Prohibition and the rise of organized crime, there was a need to expand the FBI

Elliot Ness In 1929, Ness was put in charge of going after Capone and his organization He an 11 other agents called “The Untouchables” shut down speakeasies, destroyed stills, and arrested members of the Capone organization In 1931, using evidence from Ness, the government convicted Capone of tax evasion. He never saw freedom again.

Questions: What were speakeasies and what role did they play in prohibition? What were bootleggers and what role did they play in prohibition? How did Prohibition lead to a rise in organized crime in America? Why did the FBI become a larger and more powerful organization during the era of prohibition? Should the United States government prohibit the sale and use of certain drugs within the United States today? Why? Many people have argued that alcohol should not be sold to people under the age of 25 since it can interfere with brain development and cause issues later in life. How do you feel about this idea?