1. Life in the 20’s Prohibition was passed in 1919.
Prohibition (18th Amendment) – Made it illegal to buy, make, sell, drink, or have alcohol. The only exceptions were for medication, or religious practices (wine)
Volstead Act – law passed to enforce the 18th amendment.
In some regions, it was enforced well and consumption declined.
In others, it was largely ignored.
Major cities during the 20’s found ways to get their alcohol.
Speakeasies – secret bars that required a password to get in. Once inside, people could drink, gamble, and do other naughty things.
Bootlegging – illegally making and selling alcohol. (much was homemade)
Moonshine – liquor made out of grains and corn or rye. Selling it meant big money during the 20s. Some people made it and put whatever they could find into their shine. (gas, bleach, other chemicals laying around) Imperfect recipes also led to alcohol poisoning.

2. Life in the 20’s
Al Capone – Famous gangster from Chicago. Nicknamed “Scarface” because of the scar on his cheek. He got it from messing around with another mobster’s girl.
He ran bootlegging businesses in Chicago and other major cities, which propelled him to the top of the mob during the 20s. He had speakeasies, bookies, prostitutes, and even cops on the payroll.
Capone constantly had to fight with Bugs Moran in Chicago over territory and liquor sales.
On 2/14/1929, Capone exacted revenge on Moran, by killing 4 of his men in a warehouse while Capone’s men were dressed as cops. They used Tommy guns or Thompson sub machine guns. Over 300 bullets were used to kill 4 men in the back. Known as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
These outbreaks of violence across the city forced the government to intervene.

3. Life in the 20’s
Eliot Ness and the “untouchables” – Government men or G-Men tasked with taking down Capone.
While mob violence raged across the major cities, many people would not testify against Capone. If they were willing, many ended up dead or missing.
Ness and the untouchables were nicknamed that due to the fact that they couldn’t be bribed or bought and wanted to end Capone’s reign of terror.
1931 – Capone is arrested, but not afraid because he knows no one will testify against him.
Ness knew Capone had vast sums of illegal money that he did not pay taxes on and arrested him for that. No witnesses were needed, and a judge sentenced him to 11 years, and spent 5 in Alcatraz.
He got out after 8 years, and suffered from syphilis which he contracted when he was younger. He then had a stroke a couple years after being released, and a heart attack in 1947 which ultimately led to his death.

4. Life in the 20’s Culture in the 20’s: The New Woman
The 20s saw traditional women’s roles change. Women could now vote and held much more power than they ever have before. The new woman was career-minded, stylish, adventurous, and independent. Not all women changed, but many took the opportunity.
Flappers – Women who often dressed promiscuously and drank and smoked and danced, all while just enjoying their new found freedom.
College Life
The number of college students tripled from the numbers in the 1900s. Mostly middle and upper class students were the only group to go.
Leisure, Fun, and Fads
Dance marathons
Beauty Contests
Flagpole sitting
Radio
Movies
Sports
Books and Magazines
Celebrities and Heroes

5. Life in the 20’s Culture in the 20’s: Radio
Changed the people got information. More than 800 stations by Originally broadcast church services, local news reports, music, and sporting events. NBC (National Broadcasting Company) offered packages or programs to broadcast. (Soap operas and sitcoms for radio basically) And of course, music was played. The radio provided Americans with a shared cultural value set amongst radio listeners.
Movies
Cecil DeMille – famous movie director. Created the first epics like The Ten Commandments. Many of these movies were made in Hollywood, CA. Charlie Chaplin silent film comedian was at the top of his game – Warner Bros released The Jazz Singer which was a full length “talkie.” These “talkies” had pictures and sound in them.
Sports
Baseball, college football, professional football, and boxing ruled the sports world. Babe Ruth, and Ty Cobb were famous sports heroes of the day. There was also a gambling scandal where several white sox players were bribed to lose the world series in 1919; including shoeless Joe Jackson. Jim Thorpe won the Pentathlon and Decathlon in the 1912 Olympics. He also played professional baseball and football. Original Bo Jackson. He was also part American Indian.

6. Life in the 20’s Culture in the 20’s: Books and Magazines
Monthly and weekly publications provided sources of information, entertainment, and advertising. Famous magazines of the day included Collier’s and The Saturday Evening Post. These magazines had cartoons, short stories, and advertisements.
Celebrities and Heroes
Charles Lindbergh – First American pilot to fly from New York to Paris nonstop. Instant celebrity. Also famous for his baby. After winning a $25,000 prize for the flight, his baby was kidnapped and held for ransom. The 20 month old child was eventually found dead a few miles from the Lindbergh home. A man was tried and found guilty of the crime and executed, although many believe he did not do it and there is a conspiracy surrounding the kidnapping.
Amelia Earheart – tried to fly around the world nonstop. Got to the Pacific Ocean and crash landed somewhere. They recently think they have a good idea of where she landed.
Fundamentalism
Revival of religious belief that everything in the Bible is true and it should be a literal interpretation. Charismatic preachers gained a large following in these scary times.

7. Life in the 20’s The Scopes Trial
John Scopes a teacher from Tennessee was accused of teaching evolution in public schools. Parents became upset about this, and took him to court. Scopes hired Clarence Darrow (Famous Criminal Lawyer from Chicago) to defend him. The Prosecutor was William Jennings Bryan. The trial showed the division of American values. One half wanted more religion in schools, the other wanted more evolution taught.
Results:
Scopes was found guilty, and had to pay a fine of $100. He was not allowed to teach evolution in his classes anymore in Tennessee. The charges were later overturned and Scopes never had to pay his $100 fine.