Mob Involvement with Prohibition
In 1917 Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution which prohibited the export, import, manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States. This new law is believed to have had the greatest effect on the twenties creating a feeling of rebellion and wild behavior. Many people thought this law violated there right to live by their own standards and have a good time. The Volstead Act passed by Congress set up penalties to all violators of the Eighteenth Amendment. Prohibition is one of the best things ever done by the United States Government. It single-handedly created new business opportunities and brought people together like never before. It had also created a booming new industry, and created a new way of life for many people. Unfortunately, none of these things were good things. The new business opportunities were all in the organized crime realm. With the banning of alcohol they saw an incredible boom in business. No longer did they have to rely on robbery, brothels and cons. There was a whole new business out there and it was making millions. Prohibition also united the American people more than anything since the World War.
One of the most notorious gangsters of all is Al Capone. He was part of one of the most notorious gang massacres of this time. On February 14, Valentine's Day, Four members of Al Capone's gang Trapped seven members of their rival gang, headed by "Bugs" Moran, and brutally shot them in cold blood. Capone's gang, dressed as policemen, cornered Moran's gang members near a Chicago warehouse. They then told them to place their hands on the wall. Moran's men, under the assumption that this was a routine police check, obeyed without resistance. Capone's men then pulled out sawed off shotguns and sub-machine guns and shot the men in the back, firing squad style. Prohibition also brought big business to the small businessman. Alcohol making used to be done by all the large companies. With prohibition the big companies were put out and the small businesses had to meet the demand. This was what I was referring to earlier by creating a huge business opportunities for the hard-working little guy, rather than the large corporations. I suppose you could venture to say prohibition was like a modern time welfare. By saying this I mean rather than making the rich richer and the poor poorer, prohibition helped the poor lift themselves from poverty without the help of the rich. Also prohibition had many benefits beyond the obvious.
Some common words found in the essay are:
World War, Amendment December, Bugs Moran, United Government, Amendment Constitution, Al Capone's, Volstead Act, Al Capone, Involvement Prohibition, little guy, business opportunities, Eighteenth Amendment, capone's gang, people money, getting drunk, eighteenth amendment, prohibition united, mob involvement,
Approximate Word count = 902
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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