Prohibition and the Scopes trial

A.Between , 2 million people a year were moving to the city, which was hard for many to adapt B.City life and rural life became remarkably different in the 1920s

C.Life in rural America would remain unchanged from the 19 th century 1.Small towns 2.Conservative morals 3.Close relationships D.People in rural areas believed in a literal, non-symbolic interpretation of the Bible known as Fundamentalism 1.All important information can be found in the Bible 2.Skeptical of scientific discoveries and theories, especially Evolution.

E.Life in the city was much different than small town living 1.City dwellers were well read and would argue about social and scientific ideas in a social setting 2.They would judge each other on accomplishment more than background (competition) 3.City was impersonal, full of strangers, and fast paced 4.Drinking, gambling, and casual dating were acceptable which shocked small town America.

F.Fundamentalists in rural areas were interested in two major changes in society: 1.Banning evolution in schools 2.Banning the sale and use of alcohol.

A.Major debate between fundamentalists and city dwellers was over the issue of evolution vs. creationism 1.Creationism-Bible based theory of God creating the world and man in 6 days. 2.Evolution-Man/world evolved after millions of years.

B.Fundamentalists would call for the banning of evolution in schools C.In March 1925, Tennessee passed the nation’s first law that made it a crime to teach evolution. D.ACLU promised to defend any teacher who would challenge this law.

E.John T. Scopes, a young biology teacher in Dayton, TN would read a passage highlighting how many and other species evolved from single cell organisms F.Scopes was promptly arrested and the trial was set for July 1925.

G.Clarence Darrow, the most famous trial lawyer of the time, was hired to defend Scopes by the ACLU. H.William Jennings Bryan, the three time presidential nominee and a devout fundamentalist, would serve as the special prosecutor in the case. I.The Scopes Trial would draw national attention as this would be a fight over evolution and the role of science and religion in public schools and American society.

J.Most notable of the trial was that Darrow would call Bryan to the stand as an expert witness on the Bible 1.Darrow was relentless in his questioning of Bryan about his beliefs, including the age of the Earth and Creationism. 2.Darrow would ask, “Do you think the Earth was created in 6 days?” 3.Bryan’s response, “Not six days of 24 hours.”

K.With his response, Bryan admitted that the Bible can be interpreted in many ways. L.In spite of this response, Scopes was still found guilty and fined $100, and the law would remain in effect until 1967.

A.The idea of prohibition would pit small town America vs. Urban America B.Small town Conservatives believed that prohibition would bring more Christian morality 1.Believed that too much drinking led to crime, wife and child abuse, accidents on jobs, and other social problems. 2.This gained enough support by the public and the legislature for an amendment to the Constitution

C.18th Amendment would take effect January 1, Ban on the manufacturing, sale, and transportation of alcohol. 2.Progressives, social reformers, fundamentalists, WCTU, and the Anti-Saloon League rejoiced hoping it would bring a new era of virtue and religion

3.“The reign of tears is over! The slums will soon be only a memory. We will turn our prisons into factories and our jails into storehouses and corncribs. Men will walk upright now, women will smile and the children will laugh. Hell will be forever for rent.” -Evangelist Billy Sunday

D.Initially, saloons closed their doors and public drunkenness arrests declined E.However, immigrants in the city did not see drinking as a sin, but as a natural part of socializing (resented gov’t intervention) F.After World War I, people were tired of making sacrifices and wanted to enjoy life, which included drinking alcohol.

G.Congress had to budget money to enforce the 18 th Amendment, passing the Volstead Act in Established an enforcement bureau through the Treasury Department known as the Prohibition Bureau. 2.Agency was underfunded and undermanned 3.Agency was responsible for patrolling the coast, borders, highways, and destroying any illegal distilleries with only 1500 agents with the help of local police.

H.People would still find ways to illegally enjoy their alcohol. 1.Speakeasies-hidden saloons and nightclubs that you had to submit a card or password to enter (speak softly to avoid detection) 2.Bootleggers-alcohol smugglers who brought alcohol in from Canada, Cuba, and the West Indies. 3.People began to distill their own liquor 4.Evading the law became a sport to some people

A.Prohibition was a period of time accompanied by "the greatest crime record ever attained by a nation“ -Edward Sullivan, Newspaper columnist

B.Prohibition was responsible for the rise of organized crime in every major city. C.The mob would exploit and benefit from the prohibition of alcohol and expand into other illegal drugs, like heroin.

D.Al Capone “Scarface” 1.At the age of 26, he ran a criminal empire in Chicago 2.Capone was able to take over the liquor business by killing off the competition a.522 killings linked to Capone b.St Valentine’s Day Massacre c.Threats of violence d.Bombs and sawed off shotguns e.“Taking a ride”

3.Capone’s bootlegging empire netted $60 million a year, and he himself was worth $100 million. 4.“All I do is supply a public demand …somebody had to throw some liquor on that thirst. Why not me?”

A.By the mid-1920s, only 19% of Americans supported prohibition B.Americans believed that Prohibition was joke. C.The business of evading [the law] and making a mock of it has ceased to wear any aspects of crime and has become a sort of national sport.” -H. L. Mencken, journalist

D.Many who had supported Prohibition believed it caused worse effects than the initial problem 1.Organized crime 2.Disrespect for law enforcement 3.Smuggling and bootlegging

E.21 st Amendment (1933)- would reverse the 18 th amendment to legalize alcohol sales, transportation, consumption, and distribution.