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History - America 1920-73 > Divided Society > Flashcards

Divided Society Flashcards

1
Q

When did prohibition begin?

A

16th January 1920

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2
Q

When did prohibition end?

A

5th December 1933

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3
Q

What was prohibition?

A

A period of time where it was illegal to sell, make or transport beverages containing over 0.5% alcohol.

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4
Q

What was the Anti-Saloon League?

A

An organisation that campaigned against the production/consumption of alcohol. They believed alcohol caused violence, poverty, addiction, debt and all around moral bankrupcy.

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5
Q

What was a prohibition agent?

A

Someone employed by the government to enforce the laws of prohibition.

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6
Q

What did prohibition agents do?

A

Located places supplying alcohol, made arrests, prevented the smuggling of alcohol into the borders, confiscated alcohol…

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7
Q

How many prohibition agents were there in 1930?

A

3,000

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8
Q

Why were prohibition agents unsuccessful at stopping alcohol supply?

A

America has 18,600 miles of coastline -> much land was not protected so lots of alcohol was smuggled in anyway

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9
Q

What are speakeasies?

A

Illegal bars that supplied alcohol.

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10
Q

What were bootleggers?

A

People that would smuggle alcohol abroad and supply it to speakeasies.

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11
Q

What was moonshine?

A

A homemade spirit - it often led to illness or even death because it was often not made safely

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12
Q

What was the increase in alcohol poisoning deaths during prohibition?

A

1920 - 98 deaths, 1926 - nearly 800

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13
Q

Before prohibition, how many bars were there in NYC?

A

15,000

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14
Q

During the Depression, how many bars were there in NYC?

A

32,000

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15
Q

What was racketeering?

A

An illegal activity in which gangsters demand payment from a business in return for “protection.”

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16
Q

Name 3 ways gangs made money during prohibition.

A

Speakeasies, bootlegging, fixing horse/dog racing, running brothels, racketeering…

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17
Q

Why were gangs and their behaviour described as “organised crime”?

A

Their work was so lucrative and widescale that they began to operate like major businesses.

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18
Q

Why were gangs rarely prosecuted?

A

They were often so rich and powerful that they could bribe or intimidate police, law officials and witnesses.

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19
Q

Who was named “Public Enemy Number 1” by the FBI?

A

Al Capone

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20
Q

At the height of his power, how much money was Al Capone making a week?

A

$2 million a week

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21
Q

When was Al Capone jailed?

A

In 1931 for tax fraud

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22
Q

Why did prohibition end?

A

America saw how their attempt to become a more moral nation led to a rise in crime and violence. During the 1932 election campaign, Franklin D. Roosevelt promised to repeal the law, and did so in 1933.

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23
Q

Between 1850 to 1914, how many people moved to America?

A

Around 40 million - it is the largest mass movement of people in recorded history.

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24
Q

Name and explain 3 push factors for people to leave their countries in Europe.

A
  1. Lack of space -> many towns were overcrowded.
  2. Lack of opportunities -> the European class system made it difficult for the working class to improve their lives.
  3. Poverty -> a lot of Europe was in poverty.
  4. Persecution -> many groups were persecuted or discriminated against for their identity in Europe.
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25
What is an example of persecution in Europe?
Jewish people faced persecution in Russia.
26
Name and explain 3 pull factors for immigrants to move to America.
1. Land -> America is a large country with millions of acres of cheap, fertile farmland. 2. Other opportunities -> the Boom meant there was plenty of new jobs or business opportunities. 3. Pay and working conditions -> on average, US workers earned twice that of workers in other countries. 4. The Declaration of Independence -> many immigrants believed they would be safe from persecution or discrimination in America.
27
What was the "American Dream"?
The idea that anyone could achieve success in America by working hard. It was an ideal that appealed to many immigrants.
28
In the past, where were most immigrants arriving into America from?
Britain, Ireland and Germany
29
By the late 1800s, "new" immigrants began to arrive. How were they different from previous immigrant demographics?
They were from more diverse places in Europe, mostly the south and east. They were largely from places such as Italy, Poland, Russia, Greece...
30
What happened in many American cities because of the influx of immigrants?
New immigrant communities were established, such as Little Italy in NYC or Greektown in Detroit.
31
Why were "new" immigrants often not welcomed by "old" immigrants?
Many were poor, couldn't speak English well and had unfamiliar religious or cultural customs and practices.
32
What event made many Americans suspicious of Eastern European immigrants?
The Bolshevik Revolution
33
How did the Bolshevik Revolution impact Russian immigrants in America?
Many faced discrimination or prejudice as they believed they would try to overthrow the American government as they had done the Russian.
34
How did immigration lead to further economic inequality in America?
For some, America brought great riches and opportunity. For many, however, they struggled heavily, facing poor working conditions, poverty and discrimination.
35
What were immigrants often accused of?
Stealing jobs, driving down wages
36
In 1917, there was a new anti-immigration law passed. What was this law?
Banned entry to the US for anyone above the age of 16 who could not read an English sentence of 40 words.
37
What did the 1921 Immigration Quota do?
Limited the number of immigrants allowed in the US to 350,000 a year.
38
In 1924, what was the amount of immigrants allowed into the US reduced to?
Just 150,000 a year.
39
When was slavery abolished in the US?
1865
40
What was the aim of Jim Crow Laws?
To keep control of the predominantly-African-American South and keep white people in power.
41
Give 3 things Jim Crow Laws segregated.
Segregation - African-Americans were often prevented from using the same schools, restaurants, libraries, taxis and even cemeteries as white people.
42
Give an example of how Jim Crow Laws affected Black people politically.
They could not vote - they had to pass difficult literacy tests or pay high taxes in order to register to vote.
43
Why did many African-Americans move to the North?
While there was still discrimination and lack of opportunities in northern states, there were no Jim Crow Laws and often better opportunites.
44
How was life still bad for Black people in the North?
Some factories only employed white workers. Also, Black workers were often the last to be hired and the first to be fired and were often paid low wages. There was also poor living and working conditions.
45
Give an example of how Black culture thrived despite hardship.
Talented Black creatives turned the African-American neighbourhood of Harlem, NYC into a centre for Black creativity, culture and pride.
46
When was the KKK formed?
The 1860s
47
The release of what movie caused a revival in the KKK?
The Birth of a Nation
48
What year was The Birth of a Nation released?
1915
49
What happened in the film The Birth of a Nation?
The film glorified the KKK, showing a group of white Klansmen saving white families from a gang of violent Black criminals
50
How many members did the KKK have in 1925?
Around 5 million
51
Why did Klansmen target ethnic minorities?
Most KKK members were poor white people in southern and western states. They resented the success of some people in the North, and turned to scapegoat minorities - mostly Black people, but also Jews, Catholics and immigrants.
52
In 1925, who was convicted and jailed?
Klan leader David Stephenson - he was convicted of kidnap, rape and murder.
53
Why did KKK membership fall after David's conviction?
Many KKK secrets were exposed at his trial
54
How many Klan members were left after 1925?
300,000
55
Why did many Americans fear communism?
They were fearful of a revolution similar to the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, and feared that it threatened their American ideal.
56
How many Russians had moved to the US in the early 1900s?
1.5 million
57
When was the American Communist Party set up?
1919
58
What happened in the Palmer bombings?
Alexander Mitchell Palmer (the man in charge of America's law and police)'s home was bombed in July 1919. A communist newspaper was found nearby.
59
What did Palmer vow after the attack on his home?
To get rid of the "Reds"
60
What were the Palmer Raids?
6000 suspected communists were arrested. Despite fining little evidence, Palmer claimed to have uncovered a communist conspiracy and plots to attack the government.
61
Who were Sacco and Vanzetti?
Italian-born immigrants in the US. They were also anarchists and were seemingly wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of two factory workers.
62
When were Sacco and Vanzetti executed?
23rd August 1927
63
During the trial, how did the court deal with the men?
They used derogatory terms towards the men.
64
Why is it widely believed that Sacco and Vanzetti were wrongly convicted?
1. 107 people confirmed their alibis that they were elsewhere on the night 2. Several other men confessed to the murders

History - America 1920-73 (9 decks)

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