Prohibition

• Prohibition


  In 1920, the 18th Amendment was passed making the manufacture and sale of alcohol illegal. But many people in this time of 'Prohibition continued to drink and gangsters made enormous amounts of money from supplying illegal liquor.
• What amendment introduced Prohibition in the United States?

  The 18th Amendment
• When did the 18th Amendment become effective?

  In January 1920
• What was the national mood regarding alcohol when America entered World War I in 1917?


  The national mood turned against drinking alcohol
• Which organization argued that drinking alcohol was damaging to American society?

  The Anti-Saloon League
• What practical reason was given for the ban on alcohol during Prohibition?

  A ban on alcohol would boost supplies of important grains such as barley
• What religious argument was made against the consumption of alcohol?

  The consumption of alcohol went against God's will
• What moral argument was made regarding alcohol consumption during the war?


  It was wrong for some Americans to enjoy alcohol while the country's young men were at war
• What were the main reasons for the introduction of Prohibition in the United States?

  • National mood against alcohol during WWI
  • Practical benefits of boosting grain supplies
  • Religious beliefs against alcohol consumption
  • Moral concerns about alcohol use during wartime
• How did Prohibition create a demand for illegal alcohol?


  Prohibition created an enormous public demand for illegal alcohol.
• Who were the gang leaders battling for control of Chicago's illegal drinking dens?

  Al Capone and Bugs Moran
• What were the illegal drinking dens known as during Prohibition?

  Speakeasies
• What did Capone claim about his involvement in crime?

  Capone claimed that he was only a businessman.
• How many gangland murders took place between 1927 and 1930?

  More than 500 gangland murders
• What was the most infamous incident during Prohibition involving Capone's gang?

  The St Valentine's Day massacre in 1929
• What happened during the St Valentine's Day massacre?

  Capone's men killed seven members of Moran's gang.
• Where was Capone during the St Valentine's Day massacre?

  Capone lay innocently on a beach in Florida.
• For what crime was Capone imprisoned?

  Income-tax evasion
• When did Capone die?

  In 1947
• What illness did Capone die from?

  Syphilis
• How much business was transferred from the brewing industry to bootleggers and gangsters during Prohibition?

  Approximately $2,000 million
• What did the Wickersham Commission report about Prohibition in 1929?

  Prohibition was not working.
• What were the four reasons why Prohibition was introduced?

  1. National mood: Anti-drinking sentiment during WWI.
  2. Practical: A ban would boost grain supplies like barley.
  3. Religious: Alcohol consumption was against God's will.
  4. Moral: It was seen as wrong for some to drink while soldiers were at war.
• When did Congress pass the 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition?

  In February 1933.
• Why was there a lack of enforcement of Prohibition laws?


  There weren't enough Prohibition agents to enforce the law.
• How many Prohibition agents were there in 1920?

  1,500 agents.
• What made it difficult for Prohibition agents to control smuggling?

  The size of America's boundaries made it hard to control smuggling.
• Why were Prohibition agents easy to bribe?

  The low salary paid to the agents made it easy to bribe them.
• How did many Americans respond to Prohibition?

  Many Americans never supported Prohibition and drank in speakeasies.
• What were speakeasies?


  Speakeasies were bars that claimed to sell soft drinks but served alcohol behind the scenes.
• Who was Al Capone?

  Al Capone was a gangster who made money from organized crime during Prohibition.
• What types of crime increased during Prohibition?

  Protection rackets, organized crime, and gangland murders were more common during Prohibition.
• What were the main reasons for ending Prohibition?

  The reasons were mainly financial and practical.
• What did the Wickersham Commission conclude about Prohibition?

  The Wickersham Commission concluded that Prohibition was unenforceable.
• What negative consequence did unregulated production of alcohol lead to?

  It led to too many deaths.
• Which pressure group campaigned for the end of Prohibition?

  The Women’s Organisation for National Prohibition Reform.
• Why did politicians pay more attention to the Women’s Organisation for National Prohibition Reform?


  Women had gained the vote in 1920.
• How did Prohibition affect crime rates?

  Prohibition did not decrease crime; it actually led to increased prostitution and gambling.
• Who organized the increased prostitution and gambling during Prohibition?

  Gangsters.
• What was one of the financial burdens of Prohibition?

  The cost of enforcement was very high, at $13.4 million.