Book 1: Part 2 Immigration And Prohibition Flashcards
How many immigrants came to America in the 1920’s and why?
25 million
America was considered a “melting pot”
What was the red scare?
A feeling by Americans whereby they were afraid of communist ideas and those ideas spreading. This caused some people to treat immigrants with suspicion
What and when was the emergency quota act?
1921
New immigrants limited to 3% of the total of the nationality already settled in America in 1920. MAX=357,000
What and when was the Reed-Johnson act?
1924
Immigrants limited to 2% of the total of the nationality already settled in America in 1890. MAX=154,000
Why did people immigrate to America ( 4 mark )
To work to make money
To live the “American Dream”
To get out of overcrowded Europe
To get to a better political environment ( the could be leaving communist area )
What did immigrants do with radical ideas?
Anarchists posted pamphlets in American cities calling for the government to be overthrown.
Describe how immigrants were treated in the 1920’s? ( 4 mark )
Immigrants were treated with suspicion because some were carrying communist ideas
Some immigrants were treated harshly and couldn’t get jobs because of in experience and prejudice
Immigrants were checked for lice and given other racist treatment
They had hate posters against them from the intolerant Americans
What was the Monkey trial?
High profile case of Urban VS Rural USA
In six states the teaching of evolution was banned.
A teacher deliberately broke this law for the case to go to caught in this huge case of evolutionists VS fundamentalists
Urban USA won showing traditional values being abandoned even more
What was the Sacco and Vanzetti case?
Sacco and Vanzetti were convicted of of murdering 2 men in a shoe factory robbery in 1920.
They were immigrants and this case was prejudiced and very high profile
107 witnesses saw Sacco and Vanzetti elsewhere and someone else even confessed to the crime
The two men were still put to death
How many members did the KKK have?
4.5 million by 1924
Included police judges and politicians
Evidence that live changed for the better for African Americans in the 1920’s? ( balance )
Life expectancy increased from 45 to 48 between 1900 and 1930
However whites increased from 54 to 59
Name three problems African Americans had to deal with?
The KKK were lynching
Media and film portrayed them negatively
Prominent figures such as police and judges were prejudice and some were actually part of the KKK
How were Native Americans treated in the 1920’s?
They were treated with prejudice.
In the late 1920’s a survey showed most were living in extreme poverty, had a lower life expectancy that whites and had poorer education
Evidence of improvement for Native Amercians ( with balanced evidence ) ?
In 1928 the Merriam Report proposed improvement to the laws relating to Native Americans
However these did not take place until 1934
What is the Volstead Act and when was it introduced?
Jan 1920
The manufacture, sale of transportation of intoxicating liquids within the United States for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited
Why was prohibition introduced? ( 4 mark )
There was a growing temperance in the south, by 1916, 21 states had become “dry”
Many Christians though alcohol ruined families
America’s entry into WW1 caused prohibition to become popular as the main producer of beer in the world was Germany
Anti-Russian immigration feelings caused many to boycott Vodka
Evidence prohibition didn’t work because of speakeasies?
By 1925, there were more speakeasies in American cities than there had been saloons in 1919
Name two organisations that supported prohibition?
Anti saloon league
The woman’s Christian temperance Union
What is a bootlegger?
The go between suppliers who would transport alcohol from supplier to speakeasies
What are speakeasies?
Illegal bars in the 1920s often built on the back of real shops
What are stills?
Illegal distilleries where people made their own alcohol
What are prohibition agents?
Police officers who’s sole purpose was to track down those breaking the prohibition law
Who were Izzy and Moe?
Most famous prohibition agents
They made 4,392 arrests.
They would order a drink and funnel evidence into flasks
Why couldn’t prohibition agents control their areas?
Their colleagues were taking bribes to turn a “blind eye” to illegal activity
What happened at the border of the USA and Canada?
The people working at the border could not control all the land as it was so huge.
There wasn’t enough people
People they did have were taking bribes
Alcohol smuggling was too big to handle
Explain why prohibition failed because of gangsters? ( 6 mark )
Organised gangs made $2 billion out of the sale of alcohol which meant people were still drinking alcohol causing prohibition to fail
Gangsters like Al Capone were very popular and liked, they opened soup kitchens. The Chicago tribunal said he served 120,000 meals. On thanksgiving 1930, he served 5000 meals. Which meant some people would not report illegal activity by them causing prohibition to fail.
-3rd option
Gangsters like Al Capone bribed important people like police officers, politicians, which helped them escape charges or not be arrested at all. This caused the failure of prohibition because breaking the law lacked consequences for gangsters
Why did prohibition fail?
Important officials were taking bribes to turn a blind eye to illegal activity
Gangsters were selling alcohol with little repercussions which encouraged more people to break the law
People were addicted to alcohol when prohibition was introduced so they would try to get some
The border of the USA and Canada could not control the amount of alcohol being smuggled
When did prohibition start and end?
1920-1933
