Divided Society Flashcards
What was prohibition?
Prohibition was a ban on the production, importation and sale of alcohol in America from 1920-1933
Why was prohibition introduced?
Morality- alcohol was seen to be contributing towards a decline in moral values
Religion- religious organisations opposed alcohol as it led to many social problems such as violence and addiction
Rural America- rural people saw growing cities as a place where violence and crime were common
Why did prohibition agents struggle to enforce the law?
USA had 18,600 miles of coastline and land borders to control and agents could easily be bribed gangs. Millions of people were willing to break the law to drink alcohol and it was very easy to obtain due to speakeasies
What other methods did gangs use to make money?
Gangs made money through fixing races and racketeering. This was called organised crime
What impact did prohibition have on society?
By 1933, there were 200,000 speakeasies in the US and it had seen the rise of gangsters, organised crime and corruption.
Why did immigrants move to America?
Many European cities were overcrowded, there was great poverty and land was in short supply and expensive, whereas land in America was cheap and fertile. People believed in the ‘American Dream’ and there were plenty of job opportunities in America.
What was life like for immigrants?
Whilst some immigrants achieved success, for many working and living conditions were generally very poor and difficult. Many immigrants were poorly educated and therefore forced into low-paid jobs which created prejudice
What immigration laws were introduced?
1917 Literacy Act- Banned entry to over-16’s who couldn’t read 40 words
1921 Immigration Quota Law- Only 350,000 immigrants per year
1924 National Origins Act- Only 150,000 immigrants each year
How was there racial tension in the South?
Jim Crow Laws kept African-Americans segregated and methods were created to stop them from voting
How did African-Americans experience racism in the North?
They were often the last to be hired and were paid the lowest wages, meaning they occupied the worst housing in the poorest areas of the city.
How did some communities flourish?
Harlem, became a centre for creativity, black culture and pride, known as the black renaissance. White customers were attracted to these areas by their liveliness
What was the KKK?
A racist, terror group made up of WASP’s who aimed to maintain white supremacy over African-Americans and immigrants
How many members did the Klan have in 1925?
5 million
Why was the Klan popular?
Most members were poor white people who wanted a group to blame for their poverty. The secrecy was part of the appeal for many men
What caused the decline of the Klan?
In 1925, a Klan leader was convicted of a brutal crime and he exposed many Klan secrets. Membership fell from 5 million to 300,000
