Prohibition + Gangsters Flashcards
(17 cards)
2 key features of prohibition
- Alcohol was made illegal
- Organized crime grew
When was prohibition
1920
Why was prohibition put into place
- hopes of better health + family life
What was moonshine
Very dangerous, homemade alcohol
What was bootlegging
Gangs smuggling alcohol in from Canada
Result of prohibition
- thousands of jobs lost
- growth in organized crime
Why did organized crime grow
- gangs grew larger to smuggle more alcohol
Name famous gangster boss
Al Capone
- earned $105 million/year from alcohol as part of his gang
How many people were murdered in Chicago by November 1924 as a result of gang violence
200 people
Why were people getting murdered
- rival gangs would attack each other
- gangsters carried guns + knives
What did organized crime lead to
- many murders
- increased violence
- ordinary people became involved in criminal activity by buying bootlegged alcohol
2 features of gangsters
- gangs grew larger as a result of prohibition
- corruption of police and courts
What would Capone do with his money to stay out of trouble
- bribed police + courts
Why did police accept bribes
- they were poorly paid
How else would gangsters stay out of trouble
- intimidation
- murder
1 in 12 prohibition agents were fired for being corrupt
//
How much of the illegal alcohol in the usa came from Canadian bootlegging
2/3
