1920's Prohibtion

Prohibition was the ban of making, selling, or drinking alcohol. Prohibition seemed to do more harm than good. It caused many people to revolt and crime rates to increase. The government soon found that it was almost impossible to enforce prohibition.

Gangsters, bootleggers, moon shiners, and rumrunners all illegally made and sold alcohol. Prohibition made a great business for these groups. They were able to sell the alcohol that they either smuggled or made (illegally). In fact gangsters such as, Al Capone, became multi-millionaires. With the money they made from alcohol they were able to pay off any officials that caught them. Gangs also increased the crime rates during prohibition because they thought of bootleggers, moon shiners, and rumrunners as competition. Gangs wanted to get rid of their competition so they turned to violence.
Also, a lot of gangs opened up speakeasies to sell their alcohol. Speakeasies were underground bars where people, men and women, could go and drink without getting caught. Women were drinking for the first time in public in speakeasies. They were very popular during prohibition because people wanted to party and that meant drinking and these underground bars were the only place they could go and drink socially.