Central Illinois Teaching with Primary Sources Newsletter
In this issue: Connecting to Illinois Learn More with American Memory
In the Classroom: Lesson Plans, Activities and Resources
Test Your Knowledge PDF Version
February 2010
Crime Wave: Prohibition and Crime
Introduction
Welcome to the 28th issue of the Central Illinois Teaching with Primary Sources Newsletter a collaborative project of Teaching with Primary Sources Programs at Eastern Illinois University and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. This school year we want to bring you topics that connect to the Illinois Learning Standards as well as provide you with amazing items from the Library of Congress.
Prohibition or crime is not specifically mentioned in the ISBE Learning Standards. However, items pertaining to the 1920's are mentioned for the following Illinois Learning Standards (found within goal, standard, benchmark, or performance descriptors). 14-Understand political systems with an emphasis on the United States. 15-Understand economic systems with an emphasis on the United States. 16-Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
"The reign of tears is over. The slums will soon be a memory. We will turn our prisons into factories and our jails into storehouses and corn cribs. Men will walk upright now, women will smile and children will laugh. Hell will be forever for rent." Reverend Bill Sunday on prohibition. Many believed that prohibition would solve all o
f America's problems and create a utopia. Unfortunately, it did quite the opposite spawning bootleggers and organized crime. On January 17, 1920 the Eighteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution and prohibition officially became law. America found this a difficult law to enforce. Police funding increased to $11.4 million and arrest for prohibition law violations increased 102%. Most alarming was the 591% increase in federal conviction resulting in a prison population that exploded by 366%.
Serious crimes not only increased, but the criminals became organized. When alcohol was no longer available, people turned to gangsters with a ready supply. Bootleg alcohol became the fuel of organized crime fueling growth to spread into other areas such as gambling, loan sharking, prostitution, assassinations and later into labor racketeering, illegal drugs and human trafficking.
February 20, 1933, Congress passed the Twenty-First Amendment which brought prohibition to an end. The debate over prohibition continues. Every day, 32 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired drive. This amounts to one death every 45 minutes.
Connecting to Illinois
In the 1920's, Chicago became known for organized crime. The "Chicago Syndicate" was the country's largest and most powerful organized crime operation. One of the most notorious gangsters, Al Capone, was crime boss of the Chicago Syndicate. There were many attempts on Capone's life, all were unsuccessful but Capone proved very capable of taking out his enemies.
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre is considered one of Capone's most notorious killings. To eliminate rival gang leader George "Bugs" Moran, Capone sent members of his gang dressed as police to assassinate Moran. Capone's men fired over 150 bullets into six members of the Moran's North Side gang. It was widely believed Al Capone was responsible for these killings, but Capone had an alibi as he was in Florida at the time. Capone's plan didn't achieve the objective as the target, "Bugs" Moran was across the street at the time of the murders.
Before prohibition was passed into law in 1920, Illinois had already been pursuing prohibition laws. Illinois' struggle toward prohibition began in 1907 with Rev. Clay Daumer of Danville introducing an amendment for statewide prohibition. Although the amendment was defeated, the legislature debated prohibition again in 1917 where it passed the Senate but was defeated in the House.
Prohibition devastated the brewing industry. Before prohibition, St. Louis had 22 breweries. Only nine reopened after prohibition. Anheiser-Busch survived prohibition by making ice cream, near beer, corn syrup, ginger ale, root beer, yeast, malt extract, refrigerated cabinets and automobile and truck bodies.
After prohibition was repealed by the Twenty-First Amendment on February 20, 1933, it didn't mean the end of prohibition for some in Illinois. Twelve cities and 47 precincts in Chicago retained local prohibition.
Learn More with American Memory Collections
Photographs from the Chicago Daily News: 1902-1933 
In publication during prohibition, The Chicago Daily News collection holds numerous photos from this time period. Images include people who played an important part in prohibition in Chicago with a small amount showing raids on warehouses. Prohibition created a greater demand for alcohol which created great profits for those who supplied contraband liquor. Organized crime answered the call with a ready supply of alcohol. Photographs of Chicago crime boss Al Capone and the St. Valentine's Day massacre are found in this collection.
The African-American Experience in Ohio 1850-1920
Newspapers tell the story of prohibition in this collection. Articles singing the praises of prohibition, those against prohibition and moonshiners who plead guilty were some of the topics in Ohio newspapers. These newspaper clippings give insight into America's feelings and actions while living through prohibition. Articles favoring prohibition, against prohibition and consequences of those who chose to break the prohibition law are abundant in this collection.
Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music 1870-1885
This collection offers a number of songs reflecting social concerns over the potential dangers of alcohol. While songs such as The Temperance Army portray the movement as a religious one, others such as The Drunkards Daughter reflect social problems caused by alcohol. The sheet music in this collection was published before prohibition became law. This proves that the idea of temperance was gaining support as early as the 1800's.
In the Classroom: Lesson Plans, Activities and Resources
In this section you will find items pertaining to this month's topic that can be used in your classroom. This is just a small sample of items available through the Library of Congress. Conduct your own search on Prohibition to find more.Today in History
October 28, 1919: Temperance and Prohibition 
Wise Guide
July 2006: Very Dry Years
Prints and Photographs
The Dry Years: Selected images relating to prohibition from the collections of the Library of Congress.
Teacher's Page
Presentations:
American Memory Timeline: Progressive Era to New Era-Prohibition: A Case Study of Progressive Reform
Collection Connections
Photographs from the Chicago Daily News 1902-1933-Prohibition
Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, ca. 1820-1860-The Temperance Movement
American Memory Timeline-Progressive Era to New Era-Prohibition: A Case Study of Progressive Reform
Test Your Knowledge
