1. Prohibition

2. Prohibition in Am. History refers to the 18 th Amendment or the banning of Alcoholic substances for anything other than for medicinal or religious reasons (including transporting and selling). The Amendment was pushed for by the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, The Anti-Saloon League, and rural Protestants who believed that too much alcohol was the reason for various crimes. Those that opposed Prohibition were Immigrants who viewed alcohol as part of socialization By people wanting to enjoy life after WW 1 It was defeated by those who wanted to drink and especially by a government that didn’t want to spend the money it took to stop it.

3. For those who wanted to drink, they had to go to secret bars called speakeasies. The alcohol came from various sources, outside the country, homemade, diluted from industrial strength, etc. The alcohol was bought from bootleggers (smugglers) Vast majority of these people were members of organized crime organizations such as the South Side Italian Gang or the North Side Irish gang. – These same groups also fought with each other for control of territory and money. – Ex. The Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago. Some of the more famous bootleggers of the period were Al Capone, George “Bugs” Moran, and Monk Miller. Prohibition soon became very unpopular due to the increased crime rates with only those in the extreme rural areas still supporting it. It was repealed in 1933 with the 21 st Amendment.