Society in 1920 Flashcards
What were the reasons for prohibition?
Social campaigners who disliked crime, violence and domestic abuse
Business owners who argued alcohol affected efficiency of worker
Anti-saloon league - politically put pressure to prevent alcohol
Why was prohibition hard to enforce?
Only around 1500 officers
Hard to prevent alcohol being smuggled
Many Americans didn’t support so drunk at speakeasies
How did organised crime link to prohibition?
Al Capone organised selling and distribution of alcohol - made $60 million
Gangs used violence to dominate key areas to protect profits - eg valentines day massacre - death of 7 men
Why was America a prime place for immigrants to travel to?
Many jobs - growing industry
Land cheap and fertile
Practice religion freely
30 million European immigrants from 1836-1914
Why were people increasingly prejudiced towards immigrants?
1914 - people felt extreme nationalism - anti-German
Distinction between WASP’s
Red scare - scare of communism over the Russian revolution
What was the Sacco and Vanzetti case?
They were Italian born anarchists and charged of robbery and murder
Had 107 witnessed who claimed they were somewhere else during that time
Even so, they were sentenced to death.
What was the 1917 Immigration act?
Used unfair literacy tests to exclude immigrants - also banned Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian immigrants
What was the 1921 Emergency Quota Act?
Set a limit of 357,000 immigrants per year
What was the 1924 National Origins Act?
Immigration to 150,000 per year
Only 2% of overseas pop in US before 1890 could enter
What was the Ku Klux Klan?
A terrorist organisation - begun in southern states - aimed to maintain white supremacy - members grew to around 5 million in 1925. Over 400 murders throughout 1920s to black people
