Prohibition USA

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Define prohibition

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Terms in this set (8)

A nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 to 1933
18th Amendment- enacted by Volstead Act

Support for Prohibition

Prohibition supporters, called "drys", presented it as a battle for public morals and health. (It was referred to as, The noble experiment)
Supporters were largely from the rural south and west.
The church affiliated Anti-Saloon League and the Women's Christian Temperance Union helped push the 18th Amendment through.

Problems with prohibition

Public demand continued
Increase in organised crime
Bribery and corruption of public officials
Difficulty in enforcement

Difficulties in enforcing

Long borders to 'police' (c. 18.000 miles)
Border with Canada easy to avoid detection
Rum Runs from the Bahamas (The Real McCoy)

Organised crime

Pre prohibition - only existed on periphery of society.
Prohibition created huge opportunity - coast to coast bootlegging of alcohol.
Became more "organized" than ever, employing lawyers, accountants, brew masters, boat captains, truckers and warehousemen, plus armed thugs
Capone said 'I'm only providing a public demand'
Crime gangs - Chicago (Capone / Bugs Moran)
Bribed policemen, judges, juries, witnesses, politicians and even federal Prohibition agents.
More than 1,000 people were killed in New York alone in Mob clashes during Prohibition.