Organised Crime

Question 1

What was a protection racket?

Answer 1

Threaten harm to your property in return for money to protect it

Question 2

Approximately how many men did Capone employ in his army of thugs?

Answer 2

1,000

Question 3

How much was Al Capone thought to be earning each year from illegal activities?

Answer 3

$60 -$100 million

Question 4

Which city did Al Capone control?

Answer 4

Chicago

Question 5

How was Al Capone able to get away with illegal activities?

Answer 5

• Bribed police officers, politicians (e.g. Chicago’s mayor William Hale Thompson), judges etc
• Fear of violence and intimidation

Question 6

There were 227 murders in 4 years in Chicago, how many people were arrested for these murders?

Answer 6

None

Question 7

What provided Capone with the most income illegally in 1920s?

Answer 7

• Controlled illegal trade of alcohol during prohibition (moonshine, bootlegging, speakeasies)

Question 8

What is the shooting of 6 members of Bugs Malone’s gang by Capone’s men known as?

Answer 8

St.Valentine’s Day Massacre (1929)

Question 9

Why did gangsters stop making so much money from the sale of alcohol?

Answer 9

Prohibition was repeal (changed the law back to allowing the sale of alcohol in 1933)

Question 10

What was Al Capone arrested and imprisoned for in 1931?

Answer 10

Tax evasion

Question 11

In what ways did Al Capone win some popularity with ordinary people?

Answer 11

• often seen at baseball and American football games
• generous tips to waiters and shop girls
• spent $30,000 on a soup kitchen for the unemployed

Question 12

What was prohibition sometimes known as?

Answer 12

The Noble Experiment

Question 13

Why did the government repeal (end) prohibition?

Answer 13

• USA lawless (organised crime made rich and police corruption)
• Wall St.Crash and Depression (end of prohibition would create jobs)

Question 14

When did the government repeal (end) prohibition?

Answer 14

December 1933