Prohibition and Prohibition and Organized CrimeOrganized Crime

ProhibitionProhibition Progressives had called on a ban Progressives had called on a ban

on alcohol on alcohol TTo combat crime, family o combat crime, family

violence, and povertyviolence, and poverty1818thth Amendment Amendment – prohibited – prohibited

the manufacture, sale, and the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic transportation of alcoholic beverages beverages

Ratified in 1919Ratified in 1919

SpeakeasiesSpeakeasiesSpeakeasies – Bars that Speakeasies – Bars that

illegally sold alcohol illegally sold alcohol Many made their own liquor Many made their own liquor

or purchased bootlegged or purchased bootlegged alcohol from Mexico and alcohol from Mexico and CanadaCanada

New York City: est. 30,000 to New York City: est. 30,000 to 100,000 speakeasies100,000 speakeasies

BootleggingBootlegging Making, transporting, or selling Making, transporting, or selling

illegal alcoholic beveragesillegal alcoholic beverages Became one of the decade’s Became one of the decade’s

most profitable businesses most profitable businesses Led to the development of Led to the development of

organized crime in cities like organized crime in cities like ChicagoChicago

Rumrunner – cross state linesRumrunner – cross state lines Moon-shiner – work at nightMoon-shiner – work at night

The Development of The Development of Organized CrimeOrganized CrimeDue to profit potential many Due to profit potential many

wanted to bootlegwanted to bootlegAl CaponeAl Capone – –Ruled Chicago’s bootlegging Ruled Chicago’s bootlegging scene with his mobscene with his mob

Made over $120 million per Made over $120 million per yearyear

St. Valentine’s Day St. Valentine’s Day MassacreMassacre The peak of The peak of

Chicago’s Chicago’s prohibition prohibition gang warsgang wars

Capone’s gang Capone’s gang publicly killed publicly killed seven seven members of a members of a rival Moran rival Moran ganggang

Elliot Ness & Elliot Ness & The UntouchablesThe Untouchables

Hired by the Federal Prohibition Hired by the Federal Prohibition BureauBureau

Refused to ignore bootlegging Refused to ignore bootlegging like many corrupt local policelike many corrupt local police

Ended Capone’s reign in 1931 Ended Capone’s reign in 1931 on income tax evasionon income tax evasion

““Doubts raced through my Doubts raced through my mind as I considered the mind as I considered the feasibility of enforcing a law, feasibility of enforcing a law, which the majority of honest which the majority of honest citizens didn’t seem to want.”citizens didn’t seem to want.”

  

-Elliot Ness-Elliot Ness

ProhibitionProhibition Positives: Alcoholism declined Alcohol related deaths declined Negatives: Led to widespread breakdown

of the law Turned millions of otherwise law

abiding citizens into criminals

2121stst Amendment Amendment1933 – Franklin Roosevelt1933 – Franklin RooseveltRepealed the 18Repealed the 18thth

amendment and ended amendment and ended prohibitionprohibition