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Published byAnastasia Tate Modified over 9 years ago
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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)
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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
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