ADDITIONAL documents (CONTINUED FROM dOCUMENTS
Presented in Source: Date: Explanation format.
DOCUMENT m
Unknown author. Year unknown, popular during the prohibition era. A song that gives insight into family life of the Prohibition era. The shift in drinking culture, also the process of making booze. Sung throughout the era.
"Mother's in the kitchen
Washing out the jugs;
Sister's in the pantry
Bottling the suds;
Father's in the cellar
Mixing up the hops;
Johnny's on the front porch
Watching for the cops."
"Mother's in the kitchen
Washing out the jugs;
Sister's in the pantry
Bottling the suds;
Father's in the cellar
Mixing up the hops;
Johnny's on the front porch
Watching for the cops."
DOCUMENT N
The eighteenth amendment. Passed by Congress on December 18th, 1917. Ratified January 16th, 1919. The amendment itself represents the optimism of the country. People thought that all of the problems would go away, yet it was quite the opposite which ended up occurring.
Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.
Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.
dOCUMENT O
As Rev. John Cole Mckim wrote in his article “Prohibition and Christianity Published in The North American Review circa july-December 1918. This document explains the rationalization of the crime which followed prohibition. Prohibitionists would attempt to justify their experiment by comparing it, as done by Keating, to other occasionally broken laws.
“Thus Congressman Keating, replying to the statement that prohibition fails to prohibit, is reported as saying that one might as well repeal the laws against stealing and murder because these laws do not absolutely prevent the crimes they prohibit.”
“Thus Congressman Keating, replying to the statement that prohibition fails to prohibit, is reported as saying that one might as well repeal the laws against stealing and murder because these laws do not absolutely prevent the crimes they prohibit.”
Document p
Unknown Source, though known to have been taken in 1920. A picture depicting, even early on, an unwillingness to comply with the ban. It acts as foreshadowing as the the result of the coming years. This picture depicts the American view towards prohibition as a mild hiccup in their quest for booze.
dOCUMENT q
Source: Denver Public Library, CO. 1920. People are watching men open crates of alcohol after the bust of a bootlegger. It provides an example of the potential for profitability and, at the same time, puts the scale of the ban into perspective.
Document r
Source: The Smart Set. April, 1921. Demonstrating the corruptness which came with prohibition and crime. The leaders would be bought so as to protect the gangsters. Illustrating an unstable system of government which followed prohibition.
"Distinction as a crime... is not only riding the national politics of genuine leaders; it is ridding the whole of the national culture of national leaders."
Document s
A newspaper article entitled Gangsters turn to Bootlegging on October 30, 1921
“the gangster has found in bootlegging a safer and more profitable means of livelihood than robbing and shooting down citizens. Not only gangsters but other underworld denizens, cadets and petty thieves have taken to bootlegging.”
another article that demonstrates the willingness for citizens to break the law in attempt to earn a profit. also viewed the prohibition in a negative light as a failure.
“the gangster has found in bootlegging a safer and more profitable means of livelihood than robbing and shooting down citizens. Not only gangsters but other underworld denizens, cadets and petty thieves have taken to bootlegging.”
another article that demonstrates the willingness for citizens to break the law in attempt to earn a profit. also viewed the prohibition in a negative light as a failure.
Document t
an article published by the literary digest for June 24, 1922 Demonstrates the lack of regulation which was a result of prohibition. Alcohol became dangerous as a social practice.
“‘When you drink bootleg the chances are better than nine out of ten that you are drinking rank poison.’”
“‘When you drink bootleg the chances are better than nine out of ten that you are drinking rank poison.’”
Document u
An excerpt from letter: Melvin Hanks, Special Agent, to Ralph Reed, Special Agent in Charge, on the topic of underground sales of Alcohol. February 1st, 1928. Another view of the apprehension of a bootlegger. This document follows a bootlegger, and provides an insight to another apprehension.
Excerpt: “It is now our our information, from a very reliable source, that “Sailor Jack” is running alcohol from San Francisco to Crescent City, California. He is Reported to be using the name of P. Rex in Crescent city, and is stopping at a hotel, the name of which we have not yet learned, with a man by the name of Byers.”
Excerpt: “It is now our our information, from a very reliable source, that “Sailor Jack” is running alcohol from San Francisco to Crescent City, California. He is Reported to be using the name of P. Rex in Crescent city, and is stopping at a hotel, the name of which we have not yet learned, with a man by the name of Byers.”
dOCUMENT v
An excerpt from a letter: L.L. Lynn (special employee) to Mrs. K. Beck on February 20th, 1928 discussing arrests for possession of Alcohol. This allows for us to see the apprehension of a bootlegger, and allows us to infer the profitability of the business if seventy-five gallons are being transported.
Excerpt: “On the 11th day of February, 1928, deputy Sheriff of Josephine County arrested these parties on the highway... They had a bed roll on the side of the car in which five gallon tins of alcohol were wrapped the total quantity of alcohol in the car was seventy-five gallons.”
Excerpt: “On the 11th day of February, 1928, deputy Sheriff of Josephine County arrested these parties on the highway... They had a bed roll on the side of the car in which five gallon tins of alcohol were wrapped the total quantity of alcohol in the car was seventy-five gallons.”
Document w
Source: Wisconsin Historical Images 1933. People celebrating and end to the widely disliked prohibition era. Generally summarizing the national view towards the ban.
Document x
Mr. MacCurrie in an interview with WPA dec, 1938. Looks at the negative effects of prohibition. MacCurrie allows us to get a sense for the money made by bootleggers which could have gone to the government.
"Look at the money that was poured out in the gutter, you might say, tryin' to enforce prohibition. Nobody will ever know how much. The money spent on enforcement, and the money lost in license fees and the money taken in and never accounted for by bootleggers. Man, it's a cryin' shame.”
"Look at the money that was poured out in the gutter, you might say, tryin' to enforce prohibition. Nobody will ever know how much. The money spent on enforcement, and the money lost in license fees and the money taken in and never accounted for by bootleggers. Man, it's a cryin' shame.”
Document y
An excerpt from “The Rumrunners, a prohibition scrapbook” by C.H. (Marty) Gervais,
published 1980, Firefly Books Ltd., Scarborough, Ontario. Though is not a primary source, as far as publication date, it encompasses all that we are looking in this DBQ. Put bluntly, prohibition failed. But this quote expands upon that and tells us how.
“Prohibition failed. At least, it fell short for the temperance societies, churches and fanatic evangelists who
authored the legislation. But for the owners of blind pigs, the bootleggers, the rumrunners and gangsters,
the roadhouse proprietors, the police, the magistrates, the spotters, the boaters and armies of others, it
was a roaring success. It meant work. Employment. Easy money. Cash in the pocket. Good times. Shiny
new cars. New suits."
published 1980, Firefly Books Ltd., Scarborough, Ontario. Though is not a primary source, as far as publication date, it encompasses all that we are looking in this DBQ. Put bluntly, prohibition failed. But this quote expands upon that and tells us how.
“Prohibition failed. At least, it fell short for the temperance societies, churches and fanatic evangelists who
authored the legislation. But for the owners of blind pigs, the bootleggers, the rumrunners and gangsters,
the roadhouse proprietors, the police, the magistrates, the spotters, the boaters and armies of others, it
was a roaring success. It meant work. Employment. Easy money. Cash in the pocket. Good times. Shiny
new cars. New suits."