PROHIBITION

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PROHIBITION

• History Coursework
• 12.5
• Deadline -

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Source Analysis Skills

• Read the question carefully by circling the
  command words and underlining the key words.
• Finding out information from the source
• Ask different questions Who? What? When? Where?
  How? Why?
• Reliability- How reliable is the source?
• Is it a primary or secondary source? Is a
  personal account? Why might it be biased? Who
  wrote the source? When was it written? What words
  have they used to describe the event?

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1. What can you learn from Source A about why the
Anti-Saloon League opposed the sale of alcohol?
(6)
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Task Draw Poster

• You are members of the Anti Saloon League.
• You have been asked to produce a poster about
  your views on alcohol and its effects.
• You have 5 minutes to complete your poster.
• Words you could include
• Slaves Money Poverty Family

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Question 1 Look at the poster below and list all
of the pieces of evidence that tell us about why
the ASL wanted to ban alcohol
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Source A - Answers
1. Why did the Anti Saloon league want alcohol to
be banned?
Barman is the Slave Owner.
Weeks Wages go to the slave owner and not
family
Drinking causes hunger represented by empty bowl.
Expensive because of the price paid by his
family.
Family Breakdown woman is crying husband not
there.
Homelessness is represented by Eviction Notice
Slave because all earnings go to barman.
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1. Why did the Anti Saloon league want alcohol to
be banned?
Violence advanced quietly suggests woman is
afraid of drunk husband.
Hunger mans drinking makes family poor so they
cant buy food.
Slavery of alcohol trade is a big problem.
A.S.L believe in prohibition of alcohol is only
way to solve problems.
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Model Answer What does Source A tell us about
why the A.S.L wanted to ban alcohol? (6)
Read the answer below. What are the good/bad
points? How could this answer have been
improved?
The student has used their own knowledge but it
will not get them any marks because the question
is asking them to refer to the source.
This is correct but their point hasnt been
backed up with evidence from the source.
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Model Answer What does Source A tell us about
why the A.S.L wanted to ban alcohol? (6)
A brief introduction which describes what Source
1 shows.
Reference to the source.
The student has then written what the reference
means.
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2. What is the message given in Source C? Does
the evidence in sources D and E support the
message in source C? (8)
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Question 2 Mystery Object

• In groups
• You have 5 seconds each to come up and view the
  mystery object.
• Your task is to write and draw everything you
  have seen as accurately as possible.
• The key to success with this task is team work.

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2. What is the message given in Source C?
(Questions)
Task Write Six Who, What, When, Where, Why and
How questions that you could be asked about this
source?
Who produced the source? Is it propaganda?
What is the devil doing? Who does he represent?
Who is this person? Who does he represent?
Why are the bottles piling up? What does this
represent?
Why is he tired and sweating?
How big is the hammer?What does this represent?
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2. What is the message given in Source C?
(answers)
German Propaganda
Devil represents bootleggers supplying alcohol
This is a satirical cartoon which mocks the US
government.
Uncle Sam represents the US government.
Bottles piled up. Shows supplying drinking
alcohol is a big problem.
Tired and sweating shows he cant cope with
enforcing prohibition.
Small Hammer symbolises small no of agents and
inability of agents to police prohibition.
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Does the evidence in sources D and E support the
message in source C? (SOURCE D)
Only suggests that there were not enough agents
to stop people from drinking. This supports the
small hammer in Source C
SOURCE D from Only Yesterday, a book by a U.S.
journalist in 1931. The government provided a
force of Prohibition agents which in 1920
numbered only 1,520 men and by 1930 numbered only
2,836. The agents salaries in 1920 mostly ranged
between 1,200 and 2,000 by 1930 they had been
munificently raised to range between 2,300 and
2,800. Anybody who believed men employed at 30
to 40 to 50 dollars a week would have the expert
technical knowledge and the diligence to
supervise Prohibition or to resist corruption by
men whose pockets were bulging with money, would
be ready to believe also in Santa Claus,
perpetual motion and pixies.
Although the agents wages were munificently
raised which could contradict the message of
Source C.
Police didnt have the ability to arrest the
bootleggers. They were ineffective just like the
small hammer trying to smash lots of bottles.
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Does the evidence in sources D and E support the
message in source C? (SOURCE E)
SOURCE E A table showing arrests for drinking
offences in Philadelphia 1920-25.
A massive increase since the start of prohibition
supports source C which shows bottles piling up.
However, this figure could show that the
prohibition agents were effective and arrested
criminals which does not support Source C.
 
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Question 2 Model Answer
This student hasnt understood what the source
represents.
The student has understood the main points but
not they have not explained their answer e.g what
does the hammer represent.
This a balance question. The student has only
written about evidence that supports source C.
This is not a balanced answer.
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Question 2 Improved Model Answer
The student has said what the different parts of
the cartoon represent.
Explanation of the source to answer the question.
This is a good answer but the student still has
not written how the sources DO NOT support Source
C.
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3. What way of life is described in Source B?Use
Sources D and H and your own knowledge to explain
why the way of life described in Source B did not
come about. (12)
This question is quite a mouthful but it is
basically asking Why did prohibition fail?
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3. What way of life is described in Source B?
No more will.. Mothers wring their hands at the
graves of drunken sons means that deaths from
alcohol will stop.

• SOURCE B From The American Issue, an
  anti-alcohol paper, dated 16th January 1920. The
  slogan of this paper was, A Saloonless Nation
  and a Stainless Flag.
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•   All Liquor Stains Wiped from the Stars and
  Stripes. Faith and devotion have triumphed. The
  American saloon with its long train of attendant
  evils has been overthrown. No more will
  broken-hearted, poverty stricken mothers be seen
  in very agony of soul, wringing their hands at
  the graves of drunken sons. Christmas will be an
  occasion of joy and cheer in the home no longer
  one of dire apprehension of a drunken husband and
  fathers homecoming. Daddy too, will be more
  industrious, a better provider. The state will
  have less crime to prosecute. There will be an
  increase in the respect for the law.

Respect for law means that people will not
break the law as they will not be drinking.
American Saloon overthrown means that the sale
of alcohol will end.
better provider means the public will be more
prosperous because more people will work.
more industrious means that there will be less
unemployment and more jobs.
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Activity - List 5 changes that the author thought
would come about as a result of prohibition. Give
evidence.
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Answers
List 5 changes that the author thought would come
about as a result of prohibition. Give evidence.
End of saloons

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What is the way of life described in Source B?
TASK Write a paragraph about the way of life
described in Source B. Use evidence from Source
B.
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3. Use Sources D and H and your own knowledge to
explain why the way of life described in Source B
did not come about? (12)
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3. Why didnt the way of life described in Source
B come about? (SOURCE D)
Only suggests that there were not enough agents
to stop people from drinking.
SOURCE D from Only Yesterday, a book by a U.S.
journalist in 1931. The government provided a
force of Prohibition agents which in 1920
numbered only 1,520 men and by 1930 numbered only
2,836. The agents salaries in 1920 mostly ranged
between 1,200 and 2,000 by 1930 they had been
munificently raised to range between 2,300 and
2,800. Anybody who believed men employed at 30
to 40 to 50 dollars a week would have the expert
technical knowledge and the diligence to
supervise Prohibition or to resist corruption by
men whose pockets were bulging with money, would
be ready to believe also in Santa Claus,
perpetual motion and pixies.
All of these agents had 29,000 km of coastline to
patrol and 125 million people to police.
Corruption by bootleggers meant agents did not
stop alcohol distribution e.g. Jenner Gang paid
police to guard lorries transporting alcohol.
Police didnt have the ability to arrest the
bootleggers.
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Why didnt the way of life described in Source B
come about? (SOURCE H)
Popular Demand shows that the public did not
want to stop drinking.
Towards the end of prohibition.
He was a bootlegger.
SOURCE H A quote from AL Capone, speaking in
1930. I call myself a businessman. I make my
money by supplying popular demand. If I break the
law, my customers are as guilty as I am. You
cant cure thirst by law.
Break the law - shows people did not respect
the law.
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Model Answer Question 3. Explain why the way of
life described in Source B did not come about?
(12)
KEY Point Evidence Explanation
One reason why prohibition did not succeed was
that there were not enough agents to enforce
prohibition. Source D describes a force of
Prohibition agents which in 1920 number only
1,520 men and by 1930 numbered only 2,836. This
explains why rumrunners were able to import
alcohol from places like Canada for bootleggers
like Al Capone to supply to the American public.
In addition to this Source D describes how
agents, despite munificently raised wages, were
unable to resist corruption by men whose pockets
were bulging. This refers to bootleggers like Al
Capone who were able to bribe agents, officials
and politicians who were supposed to enforce the
Volstead Act. For example, in Chicago Al Capone,
who was worth 40 million, bought his own mayor
Bill Thompson. Thompson promised to be wetter
than the Atlantic meaning that he would not
interfere with the activities of people like
Capone.
POINT EVIDENCE EXPLANATION
Further explanation using information from the
Sources.
Key Terms.
Own Knowledge used to explain why way of life
didnt come about.
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Q4. Study Sources F, I and J.How useful are
these sources in helping you to understand public
attitudes to Prohibition in the 1920s and 1930s?
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What does this source tell us about public
attitudes to prohibition? (SOURCE I)
Leading magazine - lots of people buy it so
Capone must appeal to readers.
Sometimes unpopular people appear in magazines.
Al Capone is a bootlegger who supplies public
with alcohol.
Positive image Capone smiling.
Pan of Spaghetti celebrates Capones Italian
roots.
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What does this source tell us about public
attitudes to prohibition? (SOURCE J)
1933 By this time people did not want
prohibition.
President represents the public and their
views. This tells us that the public did not want
prohibition.
(President Roosevelt after announcing the repeal
of the Eighteenth Amendment in 1933) I think
this would be a good time for a beer
The president is not voted in by every citizen so
he does not represent ALL public attitudes.
good time for a beer The president is saying
that the prohibition of alcohol should end.
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How useful is Source F in telling us about public
attitudes to prohibition in the 1920s and 1930s?
Biased special person Is account
truthful/reliable?
Why it is not useful
SOURCE F Alec Wilder, a New York composer,
speaking in the 1950s. I loved speakeasies. If
you knew the right ones you never worried about
being poisoned by bad whiskey. The speaks were so
romantic. As soon as you walked in the door you
were a special person, you belonged to a special
society. You had to know somebody who knew
somebody. It had that marvelous movie-like
quality, unreality, I started drinking in speaks.
I didnt even know about open drinking. Id got
used to being disreputable.
Personal account may not tell us about other
peoples opinions.
Nostalgic he may only remember the positive
aspects of prohibition. E.g. marvellous movie
like quality.
Where is the source set? New York, might
attitudes to prohibition be different here than
in Chicago or a southern state like Kansas?
Wilder didnt know about open drinking so his
account may not be useful because he had not
experienced drink when it was legal.
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How useful is Source F in telling us about public
attitudes to prohibition in the 1920s and 1930s?
Firsthand account by a person who was alive
during prohibition. They know what it was like.
Why it is useful
SOURCE F Alec Wilder, a New York composer,
speaking in the 1950s. I loved speakeasies. If
you knew the right ones you never worried about
being poisoned by bad whiskey. The speaks were so
romantic. As soon as you walked in the door you
were a special person, you belonged to a special
society. You had to know somebody who knew
somebody. It had that marvelous movie-like
quality, unreality, I started drinking in speaks.
I didnt even know about open drinking. Id got
used to being disreputable.
I loved speakeasies shows that Wilder broke the
prohibition law because he wanted to drink
alcohol.
Got used to being disreputable shows that some
people obeyed the prohibition law because they
thought what Wilder did was wrong.
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Q5. Study all the sources and use your own
knowledge. The authorities in the USA viewed Al
Capone as Public Enemy Number One. Do the
sources and, and your own knowledge of US society
in the the 1920s and 30s, support this view?
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5. Was Al Capone Public Enemy Number One?
Evidence to say he was Evidence to say he wasnt
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Source G
How did he gain control of Chicago? St
Valentines Day, Murders etc.
Management of politicians shows that Capone
corrupted the democratic system.
SOURCE G From Only Yesterday, a book written by
a US journalist in 1931. He (AL Capone) had
discovered that there was big money in the newly
outlawed liquor business. He hoped to control the
dispensation of booze to the whole city if
Chicago. As the profits from beer alky-cooking
(illicit distilling) rolled in young Capone
acquired more finesse particularly skill in the
management of politics and politicians. By the
middle of the decade he had gained complete
control of the suburb of Cicero and had installed
his own mayor in office.
He gained control of Cicero through intimidation
and fear e.g. by putting gunmen on rooftops near
voting stations.
Capone paid 250,000 for Big Bill Thompsons
mayoral campaign . Thompson pledged to be wetter
than the Atlantic
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Public Freedoms
For Al Capone to be Public Enemy Number One he
would have to threaten the American Dream (the
publics freedoms).
Speech
Business
Vote
Choice
Persecution
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Was Al Capone Public Enemy No 1?
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Public Freedoms Was Capone Public Enemy No 1? -
YES
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Public Freedoms Was Capone Public Enemy No 1? -
NO
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Extension Reading for Question 5
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Was Al Capone Public Enemy No 1? YES

• Bribery and corruption Capone carried
  undemocratic activities, for example, he bought
  his own mayor of Chicago, Bill Thompson, for
  250,000. Bill Thompson promised to be wetter
  than the Atlantic. He influenced voting through
  intimidation of voters, which threatened
  democracy. This took away the publics freedom to
  vote.
• Source D backs this up by mentioning corruption.
• Source G describes Capones management of
  politics.

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Was Al Capone Public Enemy No 1? YES
Capone controlled the media and influenced the
information people received. This went against
freedom of speech. For example, Robert St John, a
reporter for the Cicero Tribune, was attacked
because he wrote articles against Capone. Capone
later bought the paper.
Crime and disorder Capones control of alcohol
and prostitution rackets resulted in 367 murders
and 115 bombs in Chicago. Only 1 person was
convicted because Capone bribed and corrupted
police and officials and intimidated juries which
undermined the American justice system. These
criminal activities threatened the public.
Source E shows the increase in drink related
crime.  
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Was Al Capone Public Enemy No 1? YES
Capone evaded paying taxes on his wealth of 40
million whilst Prohibition became a burden
costing the government 24 billion. This was paid
for by the public and especially industrialists
like Pier Dupont which threatened the prosperity
of businesses. Source C shows the strain it was
causing the government.   The Authorities The
Untouchables, headed by Eliot Ness spent three
years to arrest Capone. They found the task very
difficult because Capone had bribed many
officials and agents. October 1931 Capone was
convicted of tax evasion a sent to prison for 11
years. Source D mentions how the government
increased the amount of agents which shows that
they saw Capone as a problem.
Public Attitudes changed after the St Valentines
Day Massacre of 1929. It showed the public the
true face of Prohibition and Al Capone. Capones
men dressed up a policemen and murdered members
of a rival gang.   After the massacre Pauline
Samen led the Womens Organisation for the
National Prohibition Reform. This showed the
public viewed Al Capone as a threat to public
security making him pubic enemy no 1.
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NO he wasnt public enemy No 1.   The public
generally viewed Capone in a positive light
mainly because prohibition was an unpopular law.
  The public viewed AL Capone as a modern day
Robin Hood who provided alcohol for those
people who did not have any. The public wanted
alcohol and Capone supplied them with it. In
Source H Capone mentions that he is a
businessman supplying popular demand.
  Capone was a popular hero supplying the public
with what they wanted. Source I Time magazine
shows Capone in a positive light.   He was the
American Dream fulfilled. Source I Time magazine
shows him as a successful individual.   Capone
also helped the people in other ways. For example
after the Wall St Crash many people were poor and
hungry. In Chicago Capone opened Soup Kitchens so
that the hungry could eat. The public thought
that breaking the Volstead Act was more
acceptable. They also saw gangsterism in a
romantic light because the conflicts between
gangsters were viewed upon like old west
shootout. (Source 7 pg 28)   Capone believed
that the public were as much to blame as he was
because they wanted alcohol and broke the law.
.Source H