PROHIBITION COURSEWORK

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PROHIBITION COURSEWORK
Hello my name is Al Capone and I am here to
introduce your prohibition coursework. Your
coursework is worth 12.5 of your GCSE so work
hard or else you can say hello to my little
friend Tommy!
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Arguments FOR and AGAINST alcohol
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Arguments FOR and AGAINST alcohol
Freedom of Choice
Alcoholism (addiction)
Violence
Stress Relief
Funny
Crime
Socialising
Happy
Sex
Poverty
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The Story of Prohibition
What was prohibition?
In January 1920, the Eighteenth Amendment to the
Constitution of the USA came into force. It
prohibited the selling and making of alcohol.
Why was alcohol banned?
Business
I am a member of the Anti Saloon League Alcohol
is against Christian teaching because it leads to
violence, drunkenness, poverty, hunger and crime.
It breaks down families.
Religion
When my workers have been drinking they do not
work as well. Sometimes they miss work because
they are drunk. This makes my business less
productive. I want a new kind of worker
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Was Prohibition a Success?
Why was Prohibition so hard to enforce?
Prohibition proved difficult to enforce and ended
up costing the government and the tax payer a lot
of money.
The United States covers a massive area and there
were not enough agents to police to production
and sale of alcohol.
People didnt want to stop drinking alcohol.
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Was prohibition a success?
Prohibition was more popular in the Southern
and Midwestern states than it was in the Northern
states. People did not stop drinking and crime
continued. Even though it was illegal to make
or sell alcohol people did. Some made a lot of
money from the illegal sale of alcohol. The 18th
Amendment was supposed to reduce crime, however,
organised crime flourished during the years of
prohibition, I am testament to that! People call
me a bootlegger but I am a businessman. Ok, I
made a as much as 100 million a year from my
alcohol and prostitution rackets but I was only
supplying a popular demand.
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During prohibition people like me became popular
with the public we were called modern day Robin
Hoods. This is because we gave alcohol to those
who needed it. Here I am on the cover of a
leading US magazine.
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I was not the only one who wanted to make money.
Gang warfare saw gangsters carry out brutal
murders to gain control of alcohol and
prostitution rackets. One such example is that of
The St Valentines Day Massacre in 1929 where
some of my gangsters dressed as policemen and
machine gunned seven members of the Bugs Moran
gang. This changed public opinion about the way I
carried out my work. It was important that the
police and politicians turned a blind eye to my
activities and for a price they did!
St Valentines Day Massacre
I will be wetter than the Atlantic Ocean (Bill
Thompson, Mayor of Chicago)
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Prohibition was a really interesting and exciting
time in American history. As a result lots of
films about the era have been made.
The Untouchables starring Kevin Costner and Sean
Connery
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KEY WORD Matching Activity
Prohibition
For example, bribery.
People who sold redistilled alcohol e.g. Al
Capone
Eighteenth Amendment
This change to the constitution banned the making
and selling of alcohol.
Volstead Act
Anti Saloon League
Illegal drinking clubs.
Bootleggers
Famous Chicago Gangster who supplied alcohol,
bribed police and fought other gangsters during
the period of prohibition.
Rum-runner
The prohibiting (banning) of alcohol
This group of people claimed that alcohol was
evil and against Christian teaching.
Hijackers
This set down penalties for breaking the law of
prohibition.
Al Capone
People who stole alcohol from the bootleggers and
rumrunners.
Speakeasies
Corruption
A person who smuggled alcohol in the the USA
illegally.
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KEY WORDS
The prohibiting (banning) of alcohol
Prohibition
This change to the constitution banned the making
and selling of alcohol.
Eighteenth Amendment
Volstead Act
This set down penalties for breaking the law of
prohibition.
This group of people claimed that alcohol was
evil and against Christian teaching.
Anti Saloon League
Bootleggers
People who sold redistilled alcohol e.g. Al
Capone
A person who smuggled alcohol in the the USA
illegally.
Rum-runner
People who stole alcohol from the bootleggers and
rumrunners.
Hijackers
Famous Chicago Gangster who supplied alcohol,
bribed police and fought other gangsters during
the period of prohibition.
Al Capone
Speakeasies
Illegal drinking clubs.
Corruption
For example, bribery.
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USEFUL WEBSITES
http//www.chicagohs.org/history/capone.html
This site covers aspects of Al Capones life.
http//prohibition.history.ohio-state.edu/
A very good site which covers a variety aspects
of the Prohibition era.
http//www.wpl.lib.oh.us/AntiSaloon/
Anti Saloon League Home Page
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