Organized Crime
Prohibition
The 18th amendment was set into place 1920. Prohibition made it illegal in the United States to sell, or buy alcohol. Many Americans did not favor this amendment. They said that the government had too much power. They said that it put people out of jobs and made people unhappy. They found ways to have alcohol. Bootleggers would make and sell alcohol at a high price. The people would buy it at speakeasies. Speakeasies were a secret bar. Many people would come on the weekends to have a drink.
In 1933 the 21st amendment was set into place. This amendment repealed the 18th amendment. Franklin Roosevelt was the president during this time and thought the 21st amendment was a good idea. He thought prohibition caused too much crime in the United States. (http://www.worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar447360&st=prohibition)
In 1933 the 21st amendment was set into place. This amendment repealed the 18th amendment. Franklin Roosevelt was the president during this time and thought the 21st amendment was a good idea. He thought prohibition caused too much crime in the United States. (http://www.worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar447360&st=prohibition)
The KKK
The KKK started up again for the second time ever in 1915. William Simmons founded this group in Georgia. They were anti-immigrant, anti-black, anti-catholic, and against prohibition. They were against “un-American” values. By 1924 four million people had joined the group. From 1920 to 1925 was its peak of membership. The group had quickly disabled after the new immigration laws were set into place. One of the Klan’s main reason for existence was now gone. The second Klan lasted until 1944. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan) (Classroom Text)
The Mafia
The Mafia is a group of criminals. They became very powerful in the 1920s due to prohibition. It was a secret group that originally started in Sicily, Italy. During prohibition they made the alcohol, then transported it and sold it all illegally. They profited from bootlegging.
Al Capone was one of the most successful bootleggers. He had a group of men that worked for him. This group made a lot of money from bootlegging. He worked out of Chicago. Al Capone didn’t let anyone or anything get in his way. If it meant he had to kill someone to get his way he would kill them. He did it very secretively though. The police could never prove it was him; therefore they could not arrest him. They had to catch him on something to stop the crimes. They found a way to arrest him, tax evasion.
Once the 21st amendment repealed the 18th amendment, The Mafia got involved in other crimes. Crimes they got involved in were drug dealing, gamboling and loan sharking. (http://www.worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar337700&st=mafia)
Al Capone was one of the most successful bootleggers. He had a group of men that worked for him. This group made a lot of money from bootlegging. He worked out of Chicago. Al Capone didn’t let anyone or anything get in his way. If it meant he had to kill someone to get his way he would kill them. He did it very secretively though. The police could never prove it was him; therefore they could not arrest him. They had to catch him on something to stop the crimes. They found a way to arrest him, tax evasion.
Once the 21st amendment repealed the 18th amendment, The Mafia got involved in other crimes. Crimes they got involved in were drug dealing, gamboling and loan sharking. (http://www.worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar337700&st=mafia)