Would you consider the government's passage of the 18th Amendment an over-reaction to the problem of alcohol? How do the actions of gangsters/bootleggers support the position that the government and temperance leaders had gone too far.
The Governments passing of the 18th amendment was in fact an over-reaction to the problem of alcohol. As opposed to ceasing the drinking of liquor to push ethical conduct, it carried along wrongdoing and foulness to America.The illicit activities of gangsters helped this thought as the death of the eighteenth Amendment let their criminal exercises thrive. The legislature couldn't stop the criminal exercises from happening because of the eighteenth Amendment. Most noticeably bad law violations were being submitted and not taken being dealt with as the police were being influenced.
How did the government deal with violations of the Volstead Act?
The Volstead act was a law that established a Prohibition Bureau within the Treasury Department. It was under-budgeted and largely ineffective, especially in strongly anti-prohibition states. It had specifically stated that "No person shall manufacture, sell, barter, transport, import, export, deliver, furnish or possess any intoxicating liquor except as authorized by this act." It did not specifically prohibit the purchase or use of intoxicating liquors. The government’s regulation in
punishment was difficult. The punishments for violations of the Volstead act
were very minor and the trials weren’t successful, which therefore didn’t help
in the ideals of the 18th Amendment either. Jail time was scarcely served
and there were way too many convictions as well.
Vocabulary
Speakeasy: A saloon or nightclub selling alcoholic beverages illegally, especially during Prohibition. Bootlegger: To produce, distribute, or sell without permission or illegally
Thinking Like A Historian
Cause & Effect: Due to the passage of the 18th Amendment, the number of gangsters and bootleggers had increased. With that, it increased the amount of crime that was going on. It also caused the amount of illegal alcohol consumption during the time to increase and expand over the place.
1920s connection to 21st Century
Organized crime is still used today by gangs and Alcohol consumption isn't illegal, but it comes with certain restrictions restrictions. The government is still trying to regulate these things.
How effective was the 18th Amendment?
The eighteenth Amendment restricted the dispersion, transportation, and utilization of liquor. In the beginning, it was quite helpful to society with it's regulation of liquor, but after a while the administration was soon unable to authorize the law, and it was rebelled against by many individuals. Gangsters and bootleggers went against it and the amendment made it easier for them to do so.
Why do the 1920s have such a big reputation for gangsters and crime? Is it deserved?
The 1920's has such a big reputation for gangsters and crime because during this time the government couldn't control them and also, the alcohol industry was being taken over by them. Gangsters were quite ruthless, bribing law enforcers to get out of trouble, and killed people. The crime rate was increasing immensely; the reputation that they had been given was much deserved.
APPARTS
Author: No actual Author Listed. Place & Time: 1920s, Saloons. During this time there was there was blame on alcohol consumption of it causing trouble in society and the Prohibition Party wanted to rid of such things as saloons, which they thought only expanded alcohol usage. Prior Knowledge: Alcohol abuse was the cause of much crime during the 1920s. Bootleggers and gangsters illegally sold and produced the alcohol. Audience: The people of the 1920s, to show what the goals of the Prohibition Party were. Reason: Show the goals of the Prohibition Party and to persaude them to get rid of alcohol and the saloons due to their bad causes. The Main Idea: The Prohibition Party during this time seriously wanted to get rid of all saloons. They put a lot of blame of crime onto alcohol and they didn't quite know how to regulate, fix, and control things. Significance: The significance of this is that saloons at this time and alcohol was the center of problems, that in order to get rid of such things as trafficing of girls, gambling, political corruption, and etc, that they first needed to get rid of saloons, but that wasn't politically correct either. They didn't quite know what they were doing at the time. Page Done By: Meenai Yang