Prohibition started in 1920 with the 18th Amendment, and it really changed life during the Roaring Twenties in some big ways:
Rise of Organized Crime: With alcohol banned, crime groups grew a lot. By the mid-1920s, they were making around $2 billion each year from selling illegal alcohol. Famous gangsters like Al Capone were in charge of this business.
Cultural Changes: Many secret bars, called speakeasies, opened up in cities. In New York City alone, there were over 30,000! These hidden places created a lively nightlife and a more free culture, especially for women. This period saw the rise of the flapper movement, where women began to stand up for their independence.
Political Corruption: Prohibition also led to a lot of corruption among police and politicians. Reports showed that by the mid-1920s, around 37% of police officers in big cities were involved in illegal alcohol sales.
Public Opinion: As time went on, people started to change their minds about Prohibition. Support dropped from 68% in 1920 to under 25% by the late 1920s. This shift in opinion eventually led to the end of Prohibition in 1933.
Prohibition started in 1920 with the 18th Amendment, and it really changed life during the Roaring Twenties in some big ways:
Rise of Organized Crime: With alcohol banned, crime groups grew a lot. By the mid-1920s, they were making around $2 billion each year from selling illegal alcohol. Famous gangsters like Al Capone were in charge of this business.
Cultural Changes: Many secret bars, called speakeasies, opened up in cities. In New York City alone, there were over 30,000! These hidden places created a lively nightlife and a more free culture, especially for women. This period saw the rise of the flapper movement, where women began to stand up for their independence.
Political Corruption: Prohibition also led to a lot of corruption among police and politicians. Reports showed that by the mid-1920s, around 37% of police officers in big cities were involved in illegal alcohol sales.
Public Opinion: As time went on, people started to change their minds about Prohibition. Support dropped from 68% in 1920 to under 25% by the late 1920s. This shift in opinion eventually led to the end of Prohibition in 1933.