New Ways of Life Prohibition: the ban on the manufacture, sale & transportation of liquor anywhere in the U.S. (January 1920) “The slums will soon be only a memory. We will turn our prisons into factories... Men will walk upright…women will smile & children will laugh” –Preacher Billy Sunday

Prohibition Woman’s Christian Temperance Union had worked to ban alcoholic beverages for nearly a century 18 th Amendment (January 1919) took a year to finally go into action In the 1920s, alcohol abuse was a serious problem & there was hope the ban would help

Evading the Law Many Americans found ways to get around the law People made their own booze at home Many smuggled liquor in from Canada/ Caribbean Smugglers were known as bootleggers as they often hid bottles of liquor in their boots

Evading the Law Speak-easies: illegal bars which opened in nearly every city & town – Often made drinking liquor more popular than ever – To enforce the band, gov’t sent out federal Prohibition agents known as G-men who travelled across the U.S. shutting down speak-easies, breaking up illegal stills & stopping smugglers

Organized Crime Prohibition gave a huge boost to organized crime Prohibition gave a huge boost to organized crime Every speak-easy needed a steady supply of liquor Every speak-easy needed a steady supply of liquor Professional criminals or gangsters took over this job Professional criminals or gangsters took over this job Bootleggers earned big $$ so crime became a big business Bootleggers earned big $$ so crime became a big business Gangsters divided up cities & forced speak-easy owners in their territories to buy their liquor Gangsters divided up cities & forced speak-easy owners in their territories to buy their liquor Gangsters would use profits to bribe cops, public officials & judges Gangsters would use profits to bribe cops, public officials & judges

Repeal of Prohibition Americans began to think Prohibition was a mistake The ban reduced drinking, but never stopped it By the end of the decade, many Americans were calling for the repeal: cancellation of Prohibition 1933—21 st Amendment : repeals the 18 th Amendment – ( only constitutional amend. that’s ever been repealed)

Your Turn!!! This is a shorter unit with more basic ideas It’s less dense than previous units Use that to your advantage!!! Practice those reading/ comp. skills