pictures:
Beer signifies the 1920's because this was the time of Prohibition, also known as the "Noble Experiment". This was a time when the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors was illegal. This led to the rise of gangs, which made intoxicating alcohol for the public (for a profit, of course). They then sold this alcohol at illegal pubs (speakeasies). It signifies the lack of alcohol and the rise of crime that that it caused.
Al Capone is one of the most remembered figure when it comes to crime and gangs in America. Why? He completely changed the way crime was done, and made millions doing it. Unlike the criminals that came before him, Al Capone sustained his empire for longer than they did, and made more money off of the business than anyone else ever did. Almost no one remember George Moran or John Torrio, because they didn't nearly make as much as Capone, and they didn't last as long as him. Capone used bootlegging and some legal businesses ventures of make himself millions in profit yearly. This was never done before, and became the basis of all modern crime.
The Saint Valentines Day Massacre was a huge milestone for crime in the 1920's. It supposedly was supposed to be a hit on George "Bugs" Moran and a few of his lieutenants, but it didn't go according to plan. Five members of Morgan's gang were killed, and two innocents were caught in the crossfire. Over 100 rounds were fired. This was the most infamous slaughter of the Prohibition period. The massacre made Al Capone a celebrity and made the FBI develop interest in Capone. It shows the evolution of crime from simple murders to all out massacres.
The Thompson sub-machine gun has particular meaning. It was the most used gun in almost every major gang and was the most versatile. This gun symbolizes the evolution of weapons of crime. Before this, bats, revolvers, and brass knuckles were used for hits. After this, murders could be done from afar, putting the attacker out of harm's way. This allowed more people to be killed in half the time, driving up the murder rate. This gun is the reason why there was over a 100% increase in murders in the 1920's. The Tommy gun, as it's called, was the weapon used in the Saint Valentines Day Massacre.
This is an image of a typical gang in the 1920's. Gangs had members that worked together and followed their leaders directions, so that they could get as much money as possible. This is important, because before this time period, there were no major gangs. In the 1920s and a little before, people started working together to make a profit, so more revenue was made. But in the 1920s, the number of gangs exploded. It went from around 200 gangs in Chicago to around 1,200 gangs. And this was just in Chicago. Imagine New York and other areas. Revenue from all of the gangs in Chicago alone were 1 billion or more YEARLY. Gangs helped crime expand and become organized a lot more and better.
Quote:
Prohibition only drives drunkenness behind doors and into dark places, and does not cure it, or even diminish it.
Mark Twain: Letter from New York to the Alta Californian |
This quote meant that prohibition didn't work for America. It only made people buy and sell drinks behind closed doors instead of openly. It signified that prohibition didn't work, and didn't even slow down the drinking. People started drinking around their spouse and family, which was the opposite of what prohibition was trying to accomplish.
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