The Prohibition In The 1920's

The prohibition era, also known as the Volstead Act or 18th Amendment was a strong temperance movement. It was introduced to the American society in 1920, banning alcohol consumption, the selling and purchase of alcohol, manufacture of alcohol. Americans absolutely loved their alcohol but because of the abolishment, the attitudes of Americans began to change. People were breaking the law for the first time. Homemade alcohol like moonshine was introduced and organised groups began supplying the public with alcohol. America itself was even able to import alcohol from places like Canada. The growing influence of gangsters rapidly grew, changing the effect of the prohibition enforcement and impacting the police and government system. Prohibition

However, the demand of alcohol was high. Speakeasies were places that sold alcohol beverages and grew across America. Cities like Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans had alcohol supply ready for the public. Americans clearly weren’t ready to obey the new law that was driven. Bootleggers (suppliers of alcohol), made a fortune during the era, defining that some people did achieve a success out of the new law. Gangsters generally came from a poorer background. They were often poorly educated but they were also clever and ruthless. Gangsters like Al Capone made around $60 million a year from his speakeasies. He managed the liquor trade, prostitution, gambling and the protection rackets that were centred on the speakeasies. Capone viewed prohibition as a business, “all I do is supply a public demand.” Of course, the demand was huge, not every American was able to willingly give up alcohol. Capone was the biggest and best known gangster during the prohibition who had strong connections that controlled the truck drivers required for rum smuggling. He stayed relatively close with his work in Chicago. Capone knew how to manage his business and was well expanded through various cities. Illegal beverages like moonshine, was one of the most poisonous alcoholic drinks around, well referred to as 'rotgut'. Rotgut was severely dangerously impure, that caused blindness, paralysis and possibly death. Prohibition banned the import of alcohol as well. Between the border of the United States and Canada, bootleggers managed to sneak in about two-thirds of alcohol. The remaining third was brought by sea. Crime flourished as prohibition failed in the aim to stop the liquor consumption, manufacture and