prohibition and gangsters
In 1919, the Eighteenth Ammendment was passed prohibiting the distribution and consumption of alcohol. It was percieved to be a positive in the West and South because it had positive effects the people of the regions felt. In the West, the people thought that public drunkness, prostitution, corruption, and crime would drastically decrease due to no alcohol. In the South, the people living there saw an opportunity arise with the Ammendment in place; the people thought no alcohol would keep the blacks in "their place" and not do anything stupid. Meanwhile in the Northeast, Americans were outraged with the passing of the Ammendment because eveything done usually had alcohol involved. The government was not ready for the challenge at hand of enforcing the ammendment when there was not nearly enough officials to enforce the law. Many legislators were hypocrites in the sense for voting for "dry" but privately "drinking wet." Soldiers returning hiome from France were upset that the Ammendment had been passed without them being aware of what was going on, and they weren't given an opportunity to try and prevent the law from passing. "Speakeasies" or a secret bar, were very common during the Prohibition Era because it was usually a place to go drink and have a good time. "Home brew" and "bathtub gin" also became popular during this time because it was an easy yet extremley dangerous idea which provided alcohol. The worst of the gin and brew could lead to blindness and even death.
Many notorious gangsters arose during Prohibition such as Al Capone who was not only an alcohol distributer, buy a murder as well. Gang wars arose, especially in Chichago when over 500 mobster's were killed. Chicago was also home to who else but Al Capone, and Capone had an "armor-plated car with bulletproof windows." Capone was not convicted of the famous "St. Valentine's Day Murder" in 1929 even though he was "Public Enemy Number One." Gangster's were also involved in prostitution, gambling, and drugs. Buisnessmen that were not involved with any type of gangster affiliation were forced to pay money known as "protection money" to keep themselves, their belongings, and employees safe from gang affiliation. If they did not pay, their possesions would be destroyed and they themselves or employees would get beaten up. The underworld (gangster's economy market) was producing an estimated annual income of 12-18 billion dollars by 1930. The gangster's role in society drastically changed when famous pilot Charles A. Lindbergh's son was kidnapped for ransom and eventually murdered. After this event, Congress put together a law known as the "Lindbergh Law" which made "interstate abduction in certain circumstances a death-penalty offense."
Many notorious gangsters arose during Prohibition such as Al Capone who was not only an alcohol distributer, buy a murder as well. Gang wars arose, especially in Chichago when over 500 mobster's were killed. Chicago was also home to who else but Al Capone, and Capone had an "armor-plated car with bulletproof windows." Capone was not convicted of the famous "St. Valentine's Day Murder" in 1929 even though he was "Public Enemy Number One." Gangster's were also involved in prostitution, gambling, and drugs. Buisnessmen that were not involved with any type of gangster affiliation were forced to pay money known as "protection money" to keep themselves, their belongings, and employees safe from gang affiliation. If they did not pay, their possesions would be destroyed and they themselves or employees would get beaten up. The underworld (gangster's economy market) was producing an estimated annual income of 12-18 billion dollars by 1930. The gangster's role in society drastically changed when famous pilot Charles A. Lindbergh's son was kidnapped for ransom and eventually murdered. After this event, Congress put together a law known as the "Lindbergh Law" which made "interstate abduction in certain circumstances a death-penalty offense."