divided society Flashcards
1
Q
what was the Volstead Act?
A
The volstead Act was a law passed in the USA on the 17th January 1920 which banned the making and selling and transportation of any drink above 0.5% nationwide
2
Q
what was a speakeasy?
A
an illicit liquor shop or drinking club
3
Q
what was moonshine?
A
the name for illegally distilled and distributed alcohol
4
Q
what was a bootlegger?
A
a person who makes, distributes and or sells alcohol illegally
5
Q
how many states had already set limits on alcohol before the 18th amendment/Volstead Act was passed?
A
33 states
6
Q
what were the causes of prohibition?[3]
A
development of the temperance movement
1. pressure groups such as Women’s christian Temperance Union advocated for social reform and claimed alcohol caused larger problems
2. pressure groups such as the industrialists used public fears of communism by claiming bolshevism thrived on Alcohol and lawlessness
3. the Anti-Saloon league claimed that any American who drank beer was a traitor because most big breweries were ran by German immigrants so WW1 boosted the dries
7
Q
who problems did the Women’s Christian Temperance Union claim were caused by alcohol?[2]
A
- alcohol caused financial problems as there were 6 million families below $1000 income so alcohol was not a priority
- alcohol caused infanticide they claimed 3000 infants were smothered yearly by alcoholic parents
8
Q
what were the three main pressure groups?[3]
A
- Anti-Saloon League
- the Women’s Christian Temperance Union
- the Industrialists
9
Q
what was controversial about the Anti-Saloon League
A
The Anti-Saloon league worked alongside the KKK leading to informal ties between ASL officials and local Klans.
10
Q
when was the Women’s Christian Temperance Union formed?
A
1873
11
Q
when was the Anti-Saloon League formed?
A
1893
12
Q
how was prohibition enforced?
A
1500 prohibition agents enforced the prohibition law
13
Q
what were the positives of prohibition?
A
- prohibition gained wide-spread approval in rural areas in the midwest
- alcohol consumption fell by 30% in the early 1920s
- over 11.5 million gallons of spirit were seized
14
Q
why was it difficult to enforce prohibition?[3]
A
- each prohibition officer was responsible for 200,000 metres squared (understaffed)
- each prohibition officer made only $2000/year(underpaid)
- ..so easily bribed
15
Q
how many prohibition officers were fired for corruption?
A
1/12 prohibition agents were fired
16
Q
what caused the failure of prohibition?[3]
A
- difficult to enforce
- people ignored the law
- corruption
- wasn’t a priority for the government
17
Q
how did death by alcohol poisoning increase?
A
death by alcohol poisoning increased from 98 in 1920 to 760 in 1926
18
Q
what were the consequences of prohibition?
A
- bred secret drinking culture
- rise of organised crime
- increased alcohol related crimes
- financial loss
- corruption
19
Q
how did prohibition breed a secret drinking culture?
A
- due to the illegality of alcohol, people made their own moonshine so alcohol poisoning went up from 98 in 1920 to 760 in 1926
20
Q
how did prohibition lead to the rise in organised crime?
A
- prohibition bred the secret drinking culture so there was increase in speakeasies which benefited criminals eg. Al Capone made $60 million/year from speakeasies
- overall organised crimes made around $2 billion from the distribution of illegal alcohol
21
Q
how did speakeasies increase?
A
by 1930s there were 200,000 speakeasies in American which was an increase from the 15000 bars pre-prohibition
22
Q
how did prohibition cause an increase in crime?[2]
A
- increased crime and violence as drinking offences increased from 27.5 thousand in 1921 to 58.5 thousand in 1925
- bootlegger’s brought illegal alcohol across the border with over 2/3 of alcohol coming from Canada
23
Q
how did prohibition cause the government to lose money?
A
The closure of breweries and distilleries led to job losses and a loss of $500 million/year in tax revenue for the government
24
Q
in what way was prohibition not a priority for the government ?
A
most states spent 8x less enforcing prohibition than fish and game law
25
who was Isidor Einstein?
a famous prohibition officer
26
how fast did Isidor Einstein find alcohol in New Orleans?
he find alcohol in just 35 seconds which just shows how much prohibition was disregarded by the public
27
when was Al Calpone born?
17th January 1899 to italian immigrant parents
28
example of how bribery of prohibition officers led to ineffective enforcement of prohibition
130 gangland murders in Chicago between 1926-1927 but no one was arrested
29
what was the first gang that Al Capone joined?
Five Pointers
30
when did Al Capone move to Chicago?
1919
31
who was ‘terrible’ John Torrio?
Gang Boss who offered Al Capone a job when he moved to Chicago
32
why did organised crime succeed?[3]
1. prohibition
2. corruption
3. racketeering, fixing horse races, prostitution etc.
33
how much did Al Capone make from racketeering?
$10 million
34
what was racketeering?
the extortion of money or advantage by threat or force
35
why was Al Capone a popular public figure?
he loved to be photographed and spent over $30,000 on soup kitchens
36
when did Al Capone become a gang boss?
Al Capone became a gang boss of the Italian South Siders after Torrio retired in 1925
37
how many rival gangsters were killed by Al Capones men?
227 rival gangsters
38
what was the St Valentine’s day massacre ?
14th February 1929, Al Capone had two of his men dress as police officers and shoot dead 7 of the rival North Side Gang
39
what were the consequences of the St Valentine’s day massacre?[3]
1. the FBI vowed to jail Al Capone
2. he lost his public image and was declared public enemy number 1
3. turning point as it became clear that prohibition made the USA lawless
40
when was Al Capone incited?
June 1931 for tax evasion
41
what did the Association against the Prohibition Amendment argue?
during the depression(high unemployment and disparity)they argued that manufacturing alcohol would create legal jobs and by putting tax on alcohol the government would get the money instead of criminals
42
when was prohibition repealed?
December 1933
43
how many people immigrated to the USA between 1850-1914?
around 40 million people immigrated to America which was 10% of Europe’s population
44
what was Ellis Island?
an immigration station
45
what were the push factors of the USA?[4]
1. lack of opportunities as the class system in Europe made it hard for lower classes to improve their situation
2. overcrowding in many European cities and land was expensive
3. persecution such as in Russia which placed restrictions on the number of jewish in schools
4. poverty in the majority of Europe mean’t poor health and housing
46
what were the pull factors of the USA?[4]
1. American was vast with millions of acres of fertile land
2. in the early 1900s America led the world in eg. coal so were many job opportunities
3. US government announced that worker wages were twice as much than any other countries so the living standards were higher
4. the ‘American Dream’ advertised that everyone had the right to prosperity
47
what were the consequences of immigration?
1. changing immigrantion groups
2. red scare
3. creation of large ethnic communities
4. increased prejudice against new immigrants
5. immigration quotas were created
48
how did the immigration groups to USA change?
America had attracted mainly European immigrants such as the U.K before the 1890s who were protestant and spoke english so they were quickly assimilated
2. however after the 1890s groups of new immigrants arrived from South and East Europe who were less educated
49
the ethnic communities created due to immigration
large groups of immigrants choosing to live in segregated areas
eg. Little Italy in New York elucidated the differences between immigrants and others
50
what were the reactions of the original groups to the new immigrants ?
older immigrants(and others) scorned the new immigrants for not being able to speak English , unfamiliar religious practices such as catholicism(increased prejudice against immigrants)
51
what were the reactions towards Russian immigrants?
post- Russian revolution there was heightened fear of communism which led to mistrust of Russian immigration
52
how was the immigration ‘work’ experience?
some became successful and had thriving businesses whilst most had low-wage jobs due to bad education and were often taken advantage of as they were desperate for work. This increased prejudice due to the feeling that immigrants were out to steal jobs
53
why did the open door of America begin to close?
the American government believed that the new immigrants didn’t benefit society so quotas were established
54
who were the ‘older’ ,established immigrants?
Irish, French, Canadians, Germans, British
55
1917 immigration Act
literacy test where anyone over the age of 16 who couldn’t read a 40 word sentence was banned. This specifically restricted Asian immigration
56
1921 Immigration Quota Act
3% of 1910 Census of existing ethnic groups and only 350,000 immigrants in total
57
1924 national origins Act
2% of 1890 census and only 150,000 immigrants/year
58
what caused the red scare?[5]
1. the Russian Revolution in 1917
2. immigration from southern and eastern Europe eg. Russian immigrants
3. American communist party
4. strikes and riots
5. bomb attacks
59
what happened in the Russian Revolution ?
the Bolsheviks overthrew and killed their rulers
60
when was the Russian Revolution?
October 1917
61
why were Americans so scared by communism?
communist ideology juxtaposed capitalism so it was a perceived threat to the American life
62
when the American communist party set up?
1919
63
how many Russians had immigrated to the USA by 1920s?
1.5 million Russians had immigrated to the USA
64
why were there so many strikes and riots in the late 1919?
men were laid off from depleting wartime production levels so there was increasing industrial unrest leading to strikes eg.Boston police strike
65
when was the Boston Police Strike?
September 1919
66
how many people went on strike for the Boston police force?
80% of the Boston Police force
67
what were the consequences of the strikes and riots in the late 1910s?
Communists and anarchists were blamed for disturbances
68
when was Mitchell Palmer attacked?
July 1919
69
why did people blame communists for the unsuccessful suicide bomb attack on Mitchell Palmer?
there was a communist newspaper “Plain Words” next to the suicide bomber
70
who is Mitchell Palmer?
Us Attorney General
71
what bomb attack was there in May 1919?
in May 1919, bombs were posted to 36 prominent Americans
72
who was William Mckinley?
A US president
73
what happened to President William Mckinley?
he was shot dead by Anarchist Czolgosz in 1901
74
what were the palmer raids?
a series of raids directed by Mitchell Palmer to capture and arrest suspected socialists eg. anarchists and communists
75
what were the consequences of the palmer raids?
1. mass deportation
2. decline in trade union membership
76
how many people were told they would be deported between 1919-1920?
10,000 deported
77
how many of the ‘red’ suspects had evidence that they could be ‘red’
only 556 of the thousands of cases were based on evidence
78
in what way did trade union membership fall between 1920 and 1923?
trade union membership fell from 6 million in 1920 to 3.6 million in 1923
79
why were black codes created?
Black Codes were created by Southern states after the Civil War to restrict the rights and opportunities of formerly enslaved people and maintain white supremacy
80
when were the 14th and 15th Amendment ratified?
1868 and 1870
81
what did the 14th Amendment entail?
struck down the Black codes
82
what did the 15th Amendment entail?
that the right to vote should not be based on race
83
why were Jim crow laws introduced ?
to segregate races and undermine the progress made during the Reconstruction era due to racial prejudice and fears of power of the large Southern African American population
84
where were Jim Crow Laws introduced?
in Southern states
85
when was slavery abolished?
the 13th Amendment was ratified on December 1865 which abolished slavery
86
how many lynchings were there between 1882-1968?
around 5000 lynchings
87
how many African Americans were brought to the USA as slaves by 1900s?where did they live?
12 million African Americans in the USA due to slavery and 75% lived in the south
88
two examples of Jim crow laws
African Americans couldn’t use the same facilities and African American blood was kept separate by the American Red Cross
89
how did Jim Crow Laws undermine the 14th and 15th Amendment/were they free but equal?
African Americans could go to schools but they went to separate schools with worse equipment as the local government spent ten times less on black education
90
why did Southern white Americans defend lynching?
they stated it was protection against black rapists
91
why were African Americans let down by the legal system?
Judges and police upheld Jim Crow Laws
92
why did African Americans migrate to the north?
1. opportunities
2. escape segregation
93
1919 race riot example
race riots in 20 US cities eg.Chicago race riot because African American youth accidentally went to a white only beach
94
African American population who moved to Northern cities between 1916-1920
1 million
95
was life in the North better than the south for African Americans?
the opportunities in the North were greater so more African Americans moved to the North every year
96
what were the limitations of the Great Migration?[5]
1. some factories were white only
2. African-Americans were payed less
3. discrimination
4. low life expectancy of African Americans in the North
5. ghettos
97
what was the life expectancy of African Americans in the north compared to white Americans?
45-48 compared to 54-59
98
what was the Harlem renaissance?
Black cultural movement in the 1920s and 1930s which centred in Harlem, New York ,celebrating identity through music,literature etc
99
causes of racial tensions?[3]
1. Jim Crow Laws
2. political discrimination
3. lynching
100
how were African Americans politically discriminated against?
many states disenfranchised African Americans by implementing high poll taxes to vote and passing a high literacy test
101
who is WEB Du Bois?what was NAACP?
man who set up the NAACP which was a legal organisation which defended the rights of African Americans
102
when was the NAACP set up?
1910
103
what were the limitations of the early civil rights movement?
association such as the NAACP campaigned for the rights to vote however politicians failed to implement their suggestions.
104
where was the KKK established?
Tennessee
105
when was the KKK founded?
1860s
106
what movie revived the KKK?
the 1915 Birth of a Nation glorified the KKK as saviours whilst simultaneously vilifying African Americans. It was so popular that President Wilson played and commended the movie at the White House. It also introduced the white hoods which is inextricable with the image of the KKK
107
how many KKK members were there by 1925?
5 million
108
why did the first KKK end?
the first KKK ended when President Grant implemented the 1870 Enforcement Acts which allowed him to however the KKK was revived in the 1910s
109
why were the so many KKK members in the 1920s?
most of the KKK were poor, white southerners such as farmers who did not see the prosperity of the North and wanted to blame someone.
110
what was the main aim of the KKK?
to promote WASP superiority (so they protected Protestantism by attacking catholics and attacking drunks)
111
what were the KKK methods?[4]
1. whipping
2. branding
3. lynching
4. castration
112
what was the KKK handbook called and what did it contain?
the Kloran which contained words for Klonversations
113
what caused the decline in the KKK?
a Klan leader was put on trial for rape and murder. This trial exposed the KKK and the KKK membership fell following his sentencing
114
how many KKK members were there by 1930?
30,000
115
when were Sacco and Vanzetti arrested?
May 1920
116
why were Sacco and Vanzetti arrested?
suspicion of armed robbery and murder
117
when were Sacco and Vanzetti executed?
August 1927
118
what was significant about the Sacco and Vanzetti case?
1. highlighted injustice of the legal system
2. highlighted anti-immigrant feeling
119
why is it believed that the Sacco and Vanzetti trial was unfair?[3]
1. the judge referred to them as anarchists bastards
2. 107 people confirmed their alibi but most of them were Italian immigrants who spoke little english
3. the 61 eyewitnesses couldn’t agree on the details
