Prohibition 1920-1933

Question 1

What is prohibition? (simple)

Answer 1

The outlawing of alcohol

Question 2

Outline stage 1 of prohibition, including name & its arguments

Answer 2

The Temperance Movement
- temperance = not drinking alcohol
- ‘Dries’ - Proponents (person who advocates) of temperance.
- Popular and strong in the rural midwest (Bible Belt)
Arguments:
- Caused health problems
- Murder, cholera, epilepsy, fever
- Saloons are cursed by God
- 3/4 pauperism
- 1/2 of all insanity cases
- Deadly for children even in small doses
- Holding back the economy

Question 3

Outline stage two of prohibition

Answer 3

1917 Prohibition divided US politics
- War w/ Germany helped doom German brewers.
- Alcohol is labelled as the cause of German aggression
- Refusing alcohol was seen as patriotic

Question 4

When was prohibition put in place and through what?

Answer 4

18th Amendment
Volstead Act
16 January 1920 (came into effect a year after)

Question 5

When did prohibition finish?

Answer 5

5th December 1933 (26th Amendment)

Question 6

Stats of the deaths related to alcohol poisoning from 1920 to 1930

Answer 6

1920 - 98 deaths
1930 - 760 deaths

Question 7

Where did illegal alcohol come from?

Answer 7

Either Canada or the Caribbean

Question 8

What were bootleggers?

Answer 8

Smugglers of the illegal alcohol

Question 9

Why was there the smuggling of illegal alcohol?

Answer 9

A lot of money was to be made, so many took the risk of imprisonment

Question 10

Where was most illegal liquor made?

Answer 10

Illegal stills
Bathtub gin and Moonshine

Question 11

How many illegal stills were seized in 1930?

Answer 11

282,122 (seized by gov agents)

Question 12

How many FBI agents were employed as prohibition enforcement?

Answer 12

1500-2300 agents

Question 13

What were the characteristics/treatment of the FBI agents?

Answer 13

• Badly paid
• Took Bribes
• Becoming very wealthy

Question 14

How many gang land murders in Chicago where there in 1926-1927 and why is it important?

Answer 14

130 murders, it’s important because it had no convictions, this is a demonstration of how the police and FBI turned a blind eye.

Question 15

What was the worst legacy of prohibition?

Answer 15

The level of corruption it brought into the US

Question 16

How many agents would be sacked for corruption?

Answer 16

1 in 12

Question 17

Why did many agents take bribes?

Answer 17

Many didn’t have much of a choice, either take the briber or be murdered by a gang.

Question 18

How much money a year was going to gang members?

Answer 18

2 Billion

Question 19

What did rival gangs fight over?

Answer 19

Territory, alcohol and speakeasies

Question 20

The Great Depression helped to bring an end to… what?

Answer 20

Prohibition

Question 21

Legalising alcohol could:

Answer 21

Create jobs
Bring prosperity
Generate taxes

Question 22

Which Democratic candidate stood for ending prohibition?

Answer 22

Franklin D.Roosevelt 1932

Question 23

How did Al Capone become extremely rich and powerful from low origins

Answer 23

The selling of illegal alcohol and using violence.

Question 24

How much did Al Capone spend to get who as elected as what?

Answer 24

Spent $250,000 to get Big Bill Thompson elected as the Chicago mayor

Question 25

What positives did Al Capone bring to Chicago?

Answer 25

Brought wealth and excitement.
Combined violence w/ charity
Seen as Robin Hood by some as he gave generously to the community

Question 26

What was a shock for the public that Al Capone was behind?

Answer 26

St Valentine’s Day Massacre 1929 created demands from the public for him to be stopped

Question 27

When and where was Al Capone born?

Answer 27

1899 in New York (parents from south Italy)

Question 28

Outline Al Capones Career

Answer 28

• Joined Five Points Gang run by ‘Terrible Johnny’ Torrio.
• 1925 - Torrio was badly injured by ‘Bugs’ Moran and retired. Handingo ver the Five Points Gang to Capone.
• Capone brought other gangs under his control and gradually gained political control of Chicago.
• He was behind the St Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929 when rivel gangs threatened his operations.
• Escaped jail until 1931 when he was sentenced to 11 years for not paying his income tax/
  
  • Released 1939, was never really able to recover from his time in the infamous Alcatraz prison.
• Died 25 Jan 1947 from natural causes