PROHIBITION A State of Confusion

Learning goals: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: – describe the impact of the prohibition law on Canadian and American society – summarize Canada’s changing relationship with the United States

What was ‘prohibition’? Definition: Prohibition was an attempt to ban by law the production, distribution, and consumption of intoxicating beverages in the 1920’s.

Some background… Started during WWI by the Fed Gov’t of Canada Why??? – limit drunkenness – Increase productivity – make a sacrifice – save resources for war effort Federal gov’t passed resp. on to the provinces after WWI Prime Minister Robert Borden

Loopholes Although most provinces had laws in place, some cancelled the law early on Doctors prescribed liquor for medicinal purposes… Some provinces allowed alcohol to be made, and sold to countries not under prohibition The U.S. had Prohibition until the 1930’s – opportunity for us! Doctor’s prescription for alcohol

Local Implications Most of the liquor being illegally sold in the US had been smuggled across the border from Canada Windsor and the surrounding area is where a large part of the smuggling took place – 75%!

Winter rum-running on the Detroit River

Grabbing Headlines “Free Rum-Running on Canadian Border” “Law is violated hundreds of times daily” “Detroit smugglers have had a great deal of notoriety” “Police arrest five Detroit residents after finding 158 quarts of Canadian Whiskey from Windsor” “75- two litre bottles at $50- $100”

Recognize this??? Hiram Walker Distillery

Hiram Walker Production inside Hiram Walker during the early 1920’s. Whiskey was often flying out of the doors into waiting Canadian and American hands PIPE LINE TO DETROIT????

Rum Running Definition: smuggling or transporting illegal alcoholic beverages across the border

Bootlegging Definition: the illegal sale of alcohol as a beverage Many Canadians were going to drinking places known as "speakeasies" or "blind pigs“. People viewed it more as a game than a law

Yes to Prohibition! Temperence Groups – They recommended people moderate their behaviour – Church groups – Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) Why would they be opposed to the consumption or distribution of alcohol???

Women’s Christian Temperance Union Insisted that… ‘alcohol slowly but inevitably destroyed the moral character and the physical and mental health of all who drank it.’ Successfully pressured federal gov’t to implement prohibition

Organized Crime – what do you think? FOR? AGAINST?

Was Prohibition a success? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In fact, most people were against it The Windsor area became known as ‘Rum Alley’ It was estimated that 75% of all illegal booze smuggled into the U.S. went across the Detroit River Governments soon realized it was better to ‘tax’ our bad habits, rather than ban them

Prohibition Ends…what now?

AL CAPONE A ROARING 20’S ICON