BELLWORK  Who were the “Lost Generation?” What did they write about?  What was the National Origins Act of 1924?  Who was Langston Hughes? What did he write about?  What was the theme of Harlem Renaissance art?  THINKER: What might happen if the production and sale of soda was made illegal? Do you think Americans would stop drinking it?

Prohibition  18 th Amendment passed on January 16, 1920  Made the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcohol illegal.  Goals Eliminate drunkenness and domestic abuse Get rid of saloons where prostitution and gambling thrived Prevent work-related accidents

Prohibition’s Effectiveness  The new amendment was widely ignored.  It created a bigger contrast between rural and urban areas.

The New Criminal  Bootlegger: supplier of illegal alcohol.  They would produce their own alcohol or smuggle it into the U.S. through Canada and the Caribbean.

Consumption  Bootleggers would secretly supply alcohol to restaurants and nightclubs.  Speakeasies: bars that operated illegally.  Had to have membership to be allowed in these underground bars.

“Some speakeasies are disguised behind florists’ shops, or behind undertakers’ coffins. I know one, right in Broadway, which is entered through an imitation telephone-box; it has excellent beer.” -Paul Morand, 1929

Organized Crime  The complexity of bootlegging, along with high profits, led to the development of organized crime.  Gangsters competed to supply liquor, but clashed with other gangs.  Rival groups fought in the streets with machine guns and shot guns.  The gangs moved into other illegal activities, including gambling and prostitution.

Crime  Gangsters bribed police and other government officials to ignore their illegal operations.  Gangsters forced local businesses to pay a fee for “protection.”  If anyone refused, their business or home would be blown up.  Terrified citizens and supporters of prohibition were forced to comply with their demands.

Homicide Rates

Al Capone  Al Capone, nicknamed “Scarface,” was the most famous gangster of Chicago’s organized crime network.  Capone bought the cooperation of police, city officials, politicians, and judges.

Al Capone  Capone murdered and bribed his way through Chicago for a decade.  He was finally arrested and imprisoned in 1931 for income- tax evasion.

“All I ever did was supply a demand that was pretty popular” - Al Capone

The End of Prohibition  Prohibition became more unpopular during the Great Depression.  Congress repealed the 18 th Amendment in  The 21 st Amendment declared an end to prohibition.

Closure  Why did people support prohibition? Why were people against it?  In your own words, describe a bootlegger and a speakeasy.  Who was Al Capone?