The roaring 1920's (2)

Prohibition

How was prohibition enforced?

Roaring 20's

time of riotous fun, loud music and wild enjoyment when everyone was having a good time

Time of turmoil for many Americans

For those who "joined the party" time of liberation and rebellion against traditional values

For those who didn't it was a time of worry and anxiety

Decade of contrast

.

Why?

Members of temperance movements agreed not to drink alcohol and campaigned to get others to give up alcohol

Most members

Christians who saw the damage alcohol did to families

wanted to stop the damage

19th century two main movements

Anti-Saloon League

Women's christian Temperance Union

Were so strong in rural areas that they persuaded their state government to prohibit the sale of alcohol within the state

Who backed it up? (dries)

Leading industrialists

Politicians

believed that workers would be more reliable if they did not drink

got them votes in rural areas

By 1916, 21 states had banned saloons

Accusations

Drinkers were accused of being unpatriotic cowards

Breweries

Most of the breweries were run by German immigrants who were portrayed as the enemy

After Russian revolution

the dries claimed that Bolshevism thrived on drink and that alcohol led to lawlessness in the cities

Particularly in immigrant communities

Salooons

were seen as dense of vice that destroyed family life

Becoming law

In 1917 the movement had enough states on its side to propose the 18th Amendment to the Constitution

This prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors

1920 became law known as the Volstead act

Lasted from 1920 - 1933

Levels of alcohol consumption fell by 30% in 1920's

Gained widespread approval in some states particularly rural areas in the mid-west

The government ran info campaigns and prohibition agents arrested offenders

Isadore Einstein

Moe Smith

They made 4392 arrests

They would enter speakeasies (illegal bars) and simply order a drink

Einstein had a special flask hidden inside his waistcoat with a funnel attached

He preserved the evidence by pouring his drink down the funnel and the criminals were caught

Why was prohibition ended?

St. Valentines Day Massacre was a turning point

Prohibition had made USA

Lawless

police corrupt

gangsters rich and powerful

Legalizing alcohol

Would create jobs

Raise tax revenue

free up resources tied up in the impossible task of enforcing prohibition

The Democrat President Franklin D Roosevelt was elected in 1932 and prohibition was repealed in 1933

Mostly women bcs. men were spending money on drinking and arrived home and beat women

.

Failures

Successes

Approved in most rural areas

enforcement was underfunded

1 prohibition officer for every 1000 ppl

In Canada alcohol was legal and the border was to big to control

Unintended consequences

Corruption

Mafia

Breweries bribed government officials

Police officers took bribes

Judges took bribes

Took all illegal alcohol trade

made estimated 2 000 000 000

most were power immigrants

Italian

Polish

Jewish

Irish

Violence among rival gangs

1926 Chicago

130 murders

Al Capone

well loved by community

St Valentine's day Massacre

Main reasons

political

voting moral values

war

german brewery

christian beliefs

women getting beaten

industries wanting workers to not be drunk

making world better place

took over alcohol

famous(celebrity) everyone knew who he was and what he did

never caught for the murders

caught for taxes instead

died in prison

ppl wanted to drink

great depression

lost of jobs

now you could tax alcohol

Alcohol consumption fell 30%

19th century in rural areas there was a strong temperance movement

had to change tactics

too much money being spent

ppl were still drinking

sin tax

price rises bcs. taxes rise

now ppl don't buy as much, don't drink as much