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The Prohibition Era: Bootlegging, Speakeasies, and the Fight against Alcohol

Explore the notorious Prohibition Era of the United States in the 1920s, where the ban on alcoholic beverages led to the rise of bootlegging, speakeasies, and the formation of criminal empires like Al Capone's crew. Learn about the challenges faced by government agents and the millions of Americans who violated the laws during this time. Discover the lasting impact and cultural significance of Prohibition through vintage photographs, cartoons, and artifacts.

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The Prohibition Era: Bootlegging, Speakeasies, and the Fight against Alcohol

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  1. THE PROHIBITION ERA

  2. THE PROHIBITION ERA BEGAN IN 1920, FOLLOWING THE RATIFICATION OF THE 18TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1919. THE AMENDMENT BANNED THE SALE OR MANUFACTURE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. HERE, GOVERNMENT AGENTS DUMP ALCOHOL CONFISCATED FROM BOOTLEGGERS.

  3. ENFORCING THE NEW PROHIBITION LAW PROVED TO BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE, AS MAKING, TRANSPORTING, AND SELLING ALCOHOL WAS ILLEGAL, BUT DRINKING IT WAS NOT. • PROHIBITION GAVE RISE TO HUGE SMUGGLING OPERATIONS, AS ALCOHOL SLIPPED INTO THE COUNTRY THROUGH STATES LIKE MICHIGAN ON THE CANADIAN BORDER. • NEWSPAPERS FOLLOWED THE HUNT FOR BOOTLEGGERS, OR LIQUOR SMUGGLERS, BUT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ESTIMATED THAT IN 1925 THEY CAUGHT ONLY 5 PERCENT OF ALL THE ILLEGAL LIQUOR ENTERING THE COUNTRY. PROHIBITION IN PRACTICE

  4. MANY PEOPLE ALSO MADE THEIR OWN LIQUOR USING HOMEMADE EQUIPMENT, AND OTHERS GOT ALCOHOL FROM DOCTORS, WHO COULD PRESCRIBE IT AS MEDICINE. • THE ILLEGAL LIQUOR BUSINESS WAS THE FOUNDATION OF GREAT CRIMINAL EMPIRES, LIKE CHICAGO GANGSTER AL CAPONE’S CREW, WHO SMASHED COMPETITION, THEN FRIGHTENED AND BRIBED POLICE AND OFFICIALS. • 3,000 PROHIBITION AGENTS NATIONWIDE WORKED TO SHUT DOWN SPEAKEASIES, OR ILLEGAL BARS, AND TO CAPTURE ILLEGAL LIQUOR AND STOP GANGSTERS. • MILLIONS OF AMERICANS VIOLATED THE LAWS, BUT IT WOULD BE MANY YEARS BEFORE PROHIBITION CAME TO AN END. PROHIBITION IN PRACTICE

  5. THROUGHOUT U.S. HISTORY, GROUPS LIKE THE WOMAN’S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION WORKED TO OUTLAW ALCOHOL, BUT THE DRIVE STRENGTHENED IN THE EARLY 1900S, AS PROGRESSIVES JOINED THE EFFORT. OVER THE YEARS, A NUMBER OF STATES PASSED ANTI-ALCOHOL LAWS, AND WORLD WAR I HELPED THE CAUSE WHEN GRAIN AND GRAPES, WHICH MOST ALCOHOL IS MADE FROM, NEEDED TO FEED TROOPS. PROHIBITION The Eighteenth Amendment banning alcohol was proposed in 1917 and ratified in 1919. The Volstead Act enforced the amendment.

  6. THE FIGHT AGAINST ALCOHOL ALSO USED BIAS AGAINST IMMIGRANTS TO FUEL THEIR CAUSE BY PORTRAYING IMMIGRANT GROUPS AS ALCOHOLICS. PROTESTANT RELIGIOUS GROUPS AND FUNDAMENTALISTS ALSO FAVORED A LIQUOR BAN BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT ALCOHOL CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIETY’S EVILS AND SINS, ESPECIALLY IN CITIES. BY 1917 MORE THAN HALF THE STATES HAD PASSED A LAW RESTRICTING

  7. BOOTLEGGING WAS THE ILLEGAL TRANSPORTING OR SELLING OF INTOXICATING LIQUOR.

  8. This graph shows the amount in gallons (1000) of 200 proof alcohol was consumed between 1900 and 1955.

  9. Many people also made their own liquor using homemade equipment, and others got alcohol from doctors, who could prescribe it as medicine. • The illegal liquor business was the foundation of great criminal empires, like Chicago gangster Al Capone’s crew, who smashed competition, then frightened and bribed police and officials. • 3,000 Prohibition agents nationwide worked to shut down speakeasies, or illegal bars, and to capture illegal liquor and stop gangsters. • Millions of Americans violated the laws, but it would be many years before Prohibition came to an end. BOOTLEGGING

  10. MANY PEOPLE SHOWED HOW THEY FELT ABOUT PROHIBITION BY MAKING BUTTONS, SIGNS, AND ETC.

  11. PEOPLE WANTED TO HAVE LIQUOR SO BAD THAT THEY WERE GOING TO THEIR DOCTORS GETTING PRESCRIPTIONS SO THAT THEY COULD DRINK.

  12. SPEAKEASIES YOU WOULD OFTEN HEAR THEM SAYING THINGS SUCH AS, “WE GOT ONLY DE BEST BATH TUB GIN SERVED IN DE DAINTIEST OF TEA CUPS. DE BAND IS PLAYING RAGTIME, DE FLAPPERS IS DANCIIN’ UP A STORM AND DE BOYS IS ALL BEIN’ GOOD AND KEEPIN’ DER HEATERS OUTA SIGHT!!!!!!”

  13. Speakeasy Hang Out

  14. Speakeasy Membership Cards

  15. THE SPEAKEASIES WERE ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE, YOU NEVER KNEW WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO APPEAR.

  16. SIGNS WERE OFTEN HUNG TO TELL THAT SPEAKEASIES WERE NOT ALLOWED.

  17. P O S T E R

  18. BOOZE CLUB

  19. ROLL OUT THE BARREL

  20. Prices for bootlegging liquor

  21. PROHIBITION IMMORTALIZED. Later in the 1940’s many plays were written about prohibition.

  22. CARTOONS

  23. This Cartoon shows the way that the south is going to have to deal with Prohibition… They are going to have to drink more water!!!!!

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