Bootlegging - 1172 Words

A.J. D’Angelo Ms. Roach Classics in American Literature 20 April 2011 Bootlegging â€Å"The more taboos and inhibitions there are in the world, the poorer people become†¦ The more articulate the laws and ordinances, the more robbers and thieves arise† (qtd. in â€Å"Rumrunning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). The 1920’s in American History was an extraordinary time period due to the extreme prosperity of the people who lived in it. The lust for bigger and better conveniences was developed and led people to want easy money. After the eighteenth amendment went into effect, the quickest way to make money was through the illegal production and smuggling of alcohol. Smuggling created the infamous gangsters who made their fortunes from the moonshine. The greatest contributor†¦show more content†¦Bootlegging was prominent in states near national boarders that could easily be crossed (â€Å"Prohibition†). Though Prohibition ended, bootlegging remained in areas that had locally banned alcohol (â€Å"Bootlegging†). Out of the bootlegging indus try grew the gangsters that profited from it through extortion and illegality. â€Å"America experienced a massive increase in corruption and the growth of organized crime†¦Ã¢â‚¬  due to prohibition. â€Å"Powerful gangsters murdered anybody who got in their way† (Feinstein). Al Capone, a notorious gangster, joined the mob in 1920, killed off the mob boss with his friend Torrio, and later took over the mob from Torrio. The other major gangster of New York and Chicago was Bugs Moran, the target of the Valentine’s Day Massacre (Feinstein). On Valentine’s Day, Capone lured Bugs Moran’s men to an empty warehouse. He then had his men kill Moran’s men, in what is known as the Valentine’s Day Massacre (Lieurance). Capone’s chain of command kept him out of much of the trouble that the police suspected him to have caused. He was later convicted on tax exemption and died of pneumonia on January 25, 1947 (â€Å"Al Capone†). Even though Capone was a well-known criminal, the help he gave to the community gave him much love and praise as he drove around Chicago (Feinstein). Another difficulty for the law enforcement in the conviction of these gangsters was the gangsters’ ability to buy off police and chiefShow MoreRelatedBootlegging and Al Capone Essay1895 Words   |  8 PagesBOOTLEGGING In 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment was passed, this amendment made the consumption and sell of alcohol illegal. A group of people referred to as â€Å"moral reformers† felt that banning the sell and consumption of alcohol would better protect the lives of people as well as make them better (Rose). Businesses, such as industrial businesses, believed that it would better productivity if the workers could remain sober. The Volsted Act was passed shortly after the Eighteenth Amendment to makeRead MoreThe Leader Of The Bootlegging Operations During The War On Drugs1280 Words   |  6 Pagesthe way. The leader of the bootlegging operations during the prohibition was a man named Alphonse Gabriel Capone or as he is better known as, Al Capone. Al Capone was a man that was well respected as well as feared and sometimes even revered due to his untouchable nature. He was the leader of the Five Points Gang, which was an influential gang during the era of the prohibition. He focused on boo tlegging operations rather than drugs because of the high demand. Bootlegging is â€Å"...in U.S. history, illegalRead MoreEvents of The Roaring Twenties985 Words   |  4 Pagesmain contributions from Prohibition were: bootlegging, organized crime, and the failure of Prohibition. Prohibition very much contributed to the atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties in a detrimental way to society by creating a period of time in which even the average citizen broke the law. A huge part of the Prohibition’s detrimental contribution was bootlegging. Bootlegging was the illegal trafficking of alcohol in violation of the 18th Amendment. Bootlegging became very popular in this time periodRead MoreEssay on Prohibition in the United States1500 Words   |  6 Pagesalcohol (Organized Crime and Prohibition 1). Alcohol increased the organized crimes during Prohibition through loopholes in the 18th Amendment, speakeasies, doctor’s prescriptions, and bootlegging. Bootleg alcohol was one of the main reasons organized crimes began (Organized Crime and Prohibition 1). Bootlegging was when alcohol was brought into the country illegally from outside the borders. Although, sometimes the illegal alcohol was obtained within the United States (Sifakis 725). OrganizedRead MoreWhy Prohibition Didnt Work1612 Words   |  6 Pagesdistribution of alcohol illegal. However after Prohibition was put into effect, it became evident that its goals to eliminate drinking and the problems that supposedly followed were no longer achievable. With the expansion of private distilling, bootlegging, and corruption, it is fair to say that Prohibition was not a success. Due to the fact that Prohibition prohibited the sale of alcohol, many Americans started to purchase illegal alcohol from bootleggers, stores and the restaurant chainsRead MoreEssay On Al Capone1271 Words   |  6 PagesCapone born in Brooklyn, New York to a poor US immigrant couple, Gabriele and Teresina Capone, seeking a better opportunity for their then big family of eight children. He was known for running many lucrative illegal businesses that included alcohol bootlegging, gambling, prostitution, and protection. Al Capone was so notorious that he would murder those who got in his way. With little prosecution of his actions, Al Capone believed his self to being unstoppable. Al Capone, being raised as a kid in povertyRead MoreProhibition in Canada Essay628 Words   |  3 Pageswere spending on alcohol. Prohibition was a very good time some citizens though because it was a good way to make money and fast, this was by bootlegging and smuggling but, it was also a risky way to make money as it was illegal to do so. Bootlegging was a very common thing to do so back then because of the rewards in doing it. There was so much bootlegging going on during prohibition that the United States depended very much on eastern Canada when United States went dry too. A group of bootleggersRead MoreProhibition in the Great Gatsby1355 Words   |  6 Pagesdreams revolved around impressing and winning back Daisy. He was so blinded by his love for Daisy that he was not willing to achieve his actual dream. In the Great Gatsby, it is heavily inferred that Gatsbys success and wealth is earned through bootlegging. Gatsby became known as a mysterious, wealthy man. Gatsby created an image for himself. No one knew anything about him but he was still famous amongst all of New York. Bob Batchelor says, â€Å"It would be difficult to find someone who did not immediatelyRead MoreProhibition And Prohibition Of Alcohol1007 Words   |  5 Pagesalcohol. This was when smuggling liquor and creating moonshines began, opening the United States to a world of organized crime, and was called bootlegging. The earliest bootleggers began â€Å"smuggling foreign-made commercial liquor into the United States from across the Canadian and Mexican borders and along the seacoasts from ships under foreign registry.† Bootlegging began organized crime in America and began to thrive as an illegal business. Alcohol was smuggled throughout the United States, into nightRead MoreThe Roaring Twenties1460 Words   |  6 Pages The Nineteen Twenties, sometimes known as The Roaring Twenties ,was the time period betw een 1920-1929. Jazz music, flappers, and bootlegging were prominent during this time. Alcohol was banned causing the crime rates to skyrocket and the consumption of alcohol fluctuated. The nineteen twenties were a time for change both socially and politically. America’s wealth increased significantly and people listened to the same genres of music, and bought the same things. Even with all the changes that