Prohibition and United States Society in 1920s Essay

Prohibition and United States Society in 1920s Prohibition was the legal ban on the manufacture and sale of alcohol. It was introduced in 1919 and was viewed as the answer to many of Americas problems. It was thought that the end of alcohol in America would spark a new and greater society in America. People believed that it would reduce crime, drunkenness, violence and that it would reduce families in poverty because the men would not go out spending all the money on alcohol. With much pressure from groups such as the, Anti Saloon League, and the Womens Christians Temperance Union. These two groups both helped convince congress to pass the 18th amendment, prohibition. For a†¦show more content†¦Plus bootleg alcoholic beverages like beer and whisky were created, the whole drinking scene was slowly starting to look like its former self. The most confusing statistic is that before prohibition there were less speakeasies then there were during prohibition. So therefore the introduction of prohibition had actually increased Americas alcohol intake rate. When Prohibition started it opened up an opportunity for local gangsters to make some money and then expand their business and many of them took this opportunity. Probably the most famous of all the gangsters was called Al Capone. He was the leader of a huge organisation and he saw the business opportunities for himself to restore alcohol in America. The first thing that Capone did was to start importing alcohol from Canada. He would then sell it on to some dealers for a fee. When Al Capone started to help supply these speakeasies with alcohol the police started to investigate his transactions to try and catch him. He then proceeded to discover that many policemen who investigated him drank in speakeasies and so he offered them small lump sums to continually report back with nothing, this is how his business thrived. Another way that Capone and his goons made money was to go through a process of racketeering. This was a process where people who representedShow MoreRelatedHow did the Prohibition Change the United States of America (USA)? And why was it a failure?1490 Words   |  6 PagesThe word Prohibition as stated in the World Book encyclopaedia refers to laws that are designed to prevent the drinking of alcoholic beverages. The enforcement of the Volstead Act in the United States of America (USA) saw the nationwide beginning of the prohibition on the 16th of January 1920. The Prohibition brought about a change in attitude for the people of the United States (USA). It caused an extreme rise in crime; encouraging everyday people to break the law and increased the amount ofRead More The Roaring Twenties Essay836 Words   |  4 Pagesage of prosperity and change. The United States experienced a recession that was followed by a period of unlimited prosperity. 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