Controversial

Events, Figures and Perspectives

The 1920s

Prohibition“Volstead Act”

1920-1933

(Temperance)

18th amendment No person shall sell, barter, transport,

import, export, deliver, furnish or possess any intoxicating liquor except as authorized by this act.

Exceptions: - “near” beer (.05%)- Industrial alcohol - Patent medicines- Sacramental wine- Flavoring extracts- Toilet preparations - Vinegar- Syrups - Dr. prescriptions- Cider (no more than 1

pint/10 days)

Why support the 18th? Regulate people’s behavior by

force Better health Increased morality (and

religiousness) Solve problems of delinquency Solve problems of poverty,

prostitution, political corruptness

Impacts of ProhibitionMOONSHINE: Other names include: hooch, mountain dew

andWhite lightening. This is high-poof distilled spirits which are produced

illegally. Today- Appalachian area of the country

BOOTLEGGING: The illegal business of transporting or smuggling the liquor

SPEAKEASY: PA based, illegal liquor store or nightclub

ASL and WCTU… “… an army of the Lord to wipe away the

curse of drink." “Now an era of clear thinking and

clean living!” "Come in and take a drop. The first drop

led to other drops. He dropped his position; he dropped his respectability; he dropped his fortune; he dropped his friends; he dropped finally all prospects in this life, and his hopes for eternity; and then came the last drop on the gallows. BEWARE OF THE FIRST DROP.”

A Child’s Promise:

I promise not to buy, sell, or giveAlcoholic liquors while I live;From all tobacco I'll abstain

And never take God's name in vain.

Outcomes of the 18thWho benefited? Politicians

– got $ votes for looking other way…

Bootleggers (Gangsters/Club Owners) – owned clubs, $$$$$$

Outcomes of the 18thWho suffered? (3)Politicians

– lost $1/2 billion in taxes & respect

Immigrants- blamed, lost culture, jailed

Saloon Owners/Alcohol makers- lost jobs

Created disrespect for the law Eroded respect for religion Created organized crime Corrupted law enforcement, courts,

& politics Overburdened police Harmed people financially,

emotionally, morally - lost jobs (profession became a crime)

The Effects of the 18th…

Harmed physicallyUnsafe alcohol – blindness, kidney/liver/brain damage

Attacks by mob, police Changed drinking habits of the

countryPublic drinking now commonWomen drinkingHard liquors more popular

Increased cigarette smoking

1922: 5,000 Saloons1927: 30,000 Speakeasies

CA grape growers produced a grape juice product. It’s literature carefully

instructed buyers what not to do, because, if they did those things,

they would have wine in sixty days. The demand for grape juice grew

dramatically.

Owen Standy(Democratic Senator)

“My country ‘tis of thee,Land of grape juice and tea,

Of thee I sing,Land where we all have tried,To break the laws and lied!From every mountain side,

The bootlegs spring.”

Franklin P. Adams(The New York World – Feb. 1931)

Prohibition is an awful flop,We like it.It can’t stop what it’s meant to stop,We like it.It’s left a trail of graft and slime,It don’t prohibit worth a dime.It’s filled our land with vice and crime,Nevertheless, we’re for it.

Herbert Hoover(President 1929 – 1932)

“Prohibition is a great social and economic experiment

— noble in motive and

far-reaching in purpose.”

Andrew J. Volstead(U.S. Senator)

“They can never repeal it.”

In 1933, the 21st amendment was passed.

It repealed the 18th.

This has been the only amendment in U.S. History

to be repealed.

http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/educators/activities/ Go to Prohibition Nationwide in the menu

bar. Click on the bottle representing Seattle, WA and the bottles representing PA and NY. Complete the homework given in class that accompanies this.

Gangsters of the 1920s

Al Capone This Italian gangster is the most

well known in history. He began in NY then moved to Chicago where he was known as a murderer, a pimp, and bootlegger. He was eventually arrested and served the rest of his life in Alcatraz where he died in 1947 of syphilis.

Eliot Ness This special agent in the Prohibition

Bureau is known for chasing Capone for two years until he finally brought him to justice. Or did he? He routinely seized alcohol, trucks, stills and equipment from bootleggers. His men earned the nickname “The Untouchables” because they couldn’t be bought out or bribed like other officials.

Eliot Ness continued…….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=“ISTQ9UZs4wY

Why do you think that we have embellished Ness’s role in apprehending Capone? How do the different sides of Eliot Ness mirror the different sides of the 1920s? Explain.

George Moran This Irish leader of the Northside

Gang was nicknamed the “Jolly Murderer” and “Bugs”. He was the target of the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre, but escaped harm. He was eventually arrested for bank robbery despite being known as “Chicago’s Robin Hood”.

Charles Luciano This Italian gangster was considered the

“Boss of Bosses” in NYC. He worked under Johnny Torrio and earned his nickname “Lucky” after surviving an attack with an icepick. After his arrest, he helped the U.S. during WWII with the invasion of Sicily and so he was set free to live the rest of his life in Italy.

Dion O’Banion This Irish gangster owned a flower

shop and consistently stole alcohol from Al Capone. He was killed in his flower shop by Torrio’s men because he often stole alcohol from Torrio. He was known for running the best distilleries in town.

Johnny Torrio This Italian gangster killed his own

uncle to take over the business. He attempted to unite all Chicago gangs and was successful in all cases except with O’Banion. He was retaliated against after attacking O ’Banion. After this incident, he turned over his gang to his famous successor and moved back to NYC.

Red Scare #11919-1920Fear that communism was taking over the United States… and the WORLD!

Why did the Red Scare begin?Rise of communism in the world

Comintern = ____________ _______________

Increase in the number of anarchists, socialists and communists

Continued immigration 1919: 141,000-- 1921: 805,000

Increase in strikesAssociated with socialism…

leading to communism

Results of the Red Scare Palmer Raids

A. Mitchell Palmer – U.S. Attorney GeneralRaided houses of known anarchists, socialists

and communists – i.e. immigrantsWITHOUT a search warrant – this is illegalStill, many were jailed and/or deportedWHY? 1. Fear the U.S would be overthrown

2. Bombs were being sent through the

mail to powerful citizens and

government officials

Results of the Red Scare Immigrants were put on trial for

crimes they did not commitEx: Sacco and Vanzetti

Emergency Quota Act (1921)Only 2% of an ethnicity allowed in U.S.

based on 1890 censusDiscriminated against Asians and

Eastern Europeans because they had just begun emigrating in 1880 == not many here for census

Results of the Red Scare Immigration Act (1924)

Japanese can’t become citizensWhich means no civil rights or voting

National Origins Act (1929)Only 2% of an ethnicity allowed in U.S.

based on 1920 censusMore fair to Asians and Eastern

Europeans

Rise of the Klan

KU KLUX KLAN

History: Died out in the 1870s Revived again in 1915 – WHY? Reached peak in 1924 - 4.5 million members

Kept old practices: white hoods &burning crosses

GOAL: to keep out “foreigners”

Opposed unions and supported prohibition

“felt threatened by changes in American society”

LYNCHING

What is it?

Why was it done?

Used as a scare tactic Existence of a racist environment Permissive government

LYNCHING

1880 – 1950 = 5,000 killed with 70% being Black1880 = 23 people every 2 ½ days

Heaviest in Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Lousiana and Arkansas – What do they all have in common?

Not restricted to South – for example:Zacharia Walker 1911 – Coatesville, PA

Sacco & Vanzetti

Victims of xenophobia or Guilty?

Sacco

Southern Part

Shoe Factory

VanzettiNorthern Part

Fish Peddler

Accused of murdering a paymaster & shoe store security guard

Paymaster carrying $16,000 in payroll receipts when shot!

Money was never traced to either man

Judge Webster Thayer

Not impartialReferred to Sacco & Vanzetti as “Dagos”

Denounced their immigrant background & pol. beliefs

Unfair treatment

Both convicted of murder & sentenced to death

Vanzetti - I wish to say to you that I am innocent. I have never done a crime, some sins, but never any crime. I thank you for everything you have done for me. I am innocent of all crime, not only this one, but of all, of all.

I am an innocent man.

…Only because they were foreigners

Xenophobia

Where were they coming from?Remember the

New Immigration?

Sacco & Vanzetti represented everything Americans feared about foreigners

No foreigners in US! Welcome

Politics in the 1920s

Woodrow WilsonWoodrow Wilson

Campaign Platform: “New Freedom”

A moderate Progressive: - Banking reform - Anti-trust legislationDeveloped League of Nations

1913-1921 1913-1921 Democratic Democratic

(1(1stst in 20 years) in 20 years)

"Some people call me an idealist. Well, that is the

way I know am an American. America is the only idealistic

nation in the world."

"If you want to make enemies, try to change something."

Warren g hardingWarren g harding

Campaign Name: “A Return to Normalcy”Established high protective tax on imports: Why?Repealed war taxes on U.S. goodsRestricted immigration (E. Europe)

1921-1923 1921-1923 RepublicanRepublican

Cabinet: Cabinet: ““Ohio GangOhio Gang””- known for scandals- known for scandalsex: Teapot Dome – leased ex: Teapot Dome – leased

oil land to private companiesoil land to private companiesStress from Stress from scandals=stroke=diedscandals=stroke=died

"My God, this is a hell of a job! I have no trouble with

my enemies . . . but my damn friends,

they're the ones that keep me walking the floor at nights."

Calvin coolidgeCalvin coolidge

“Chief business of America is business” – offer jobsFirst president to address the nation on radio ('23)

1923-1929 1923-1929 RepublicanRepublican

Credit introduced, it was a prosperous era with electricity being introduced into the home. There was wealth but not well distributed. Agriculture, RR, textiles and coal were in trouble. Kept the import tax.

"If you don't say anything, you can't be called upon

to repeat it.“

"I have never been hurt by anything I didn't say."

Herbert hooverHerbert hoover

1929-1933 1929-1933 RepublicanRepublican

President during 1929 Stock Market CrashPresident during 1929 Stock Market Crash11stst president to have telephone on desk president to have telephone on deskBelieved in Believed in ““Rugged IndividualismRugged Individualism””

– – local govlocal gov’’t to help t to help during depressionduring depression

Blamed for the DepressionBlamed for the DepressionDedicated to maintaining peaceDedicated to maintaining peace

internationallyinternationally

"Peace is not made at the Council table or by treaties, but in the hearts of men."

"A splendid storehouse of integrity and freedom has been bequeathed to us by our forefathers.

In this day of confusion, of peril to liberty, our high duty is to see

that this storehouse is not robbed of its contents."

"Absolute freedom of the press to discuss public questions is a foundation stone

of American liberty."