United States Enters World War I

The United States finally takes a part WWI siding with England, France Russia and other nations on the side of the Allies. On April 2, 1917 President Wilson requests Declaration of War from congress on the bases that "The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make."

The declaration of war was initiated by the Zimmermann Note. The Zimmermann Note was sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann, in January of 1917, to German ambassador Heinrich von Eckhart in attempt to persuade Mexico to take a part in WWI, to join the side of the Central Powers. The deal promised Mexico the territories it has lost in conflicts with the United States in the past, mainly territories lost in the Mexican American War. In addition to the promise of land for Mexico, Germany also commented on continuation of unrestricted warfare, "We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral."

 This note, which was found in decimal file code, was first intercepted by the British in January.  But it was held until February 24 before it was given to Wilson because Britain wanted to maximize the growing Anti-German beliefs among the American public. The Press then published the Zimmermann Note on March 1st of that year and Britain got the reaction they hoped for. The American public was enraged. With this note the America people felt the distant war on another continent was now "being brought to their own land". America, pushed in to WWI had a huge effect on the balance of power, going in to the war with the notion that this war would be "the war to end all wars."

Zimmermann Note in decimal file 

Zimmermann Note Translated

Women and Their Changing Roles

Women's Roles

Women and Their Changing Roles

How Technology and Other Changes Affected the Women in the Community

By Hiren Ajudia

 

            The cry for equal recognition and long been sung by women prior to the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment. In 1920, when this amendment was finally passed allowing women the right to vote, they felt as if all of their dreams had been fulfilled. The population of the women community was so large that they could no longer be ignored and the growing number of women’s rights activities was proof that action must be taken as soon as possible. Although someone women were dying to vote (literary as well), others felt that it would be out of their place to intermingle with the male dominated society. Some women felt as if they were wrong to demand voting privileges and compare themselves to the males in the society because they were not comfortable with concerning themselves outside of their homes and their family. Some women felt that the social circles of both men and women should stay separate because they both had different responsibilities.

It cannot be denied that the inclusion of women in the legal matters at the state and national level did not bring positive reforms for the people. With women on board, there had been a heavy emphasis on the rights for children, labor workers and also things like prison reform.

When faced with a new situation, it is often difficult to understand how things work and as a result, it takes a while for people to understand what a certain device does and what it is used for. Likewise, women often found themselves having a difficult time understanding electricity, plumbing, and other common systems in the household. Electricity changed the lives of women in the home because it brought along advancements which made life easier for the women. For example, the invention of washing machines made it possible for women to have more time for themselves during the day. Instead of washing clothes by hand, women in the urban locations could take extra naps or they could work on other things. Electricity made light possible, and with light the hours of activities were extended. This meant that women had the opportunity to stay up longer into the night in order to do their personal activities.

In addition to standing up in the political aspect of life, women were also taking responsibility for themselves outside of the home. In the work force, women found themselves to be independent and strived to make their own existence. The availability of higher wage paying jobs allowed women to have more chances of providing their family with the necessities they need. Prior to this movement, people believed that women would not be able to work and to look after their families at the same time, but they were proved incorrect.

One of the most important roles of women during this time was seen in the “New Women” phase. Not only had fashion changed dramatically during this time period, we also see a shift in the personalities of the women of this era. The new breed women wore short clothes and engaged in activities that were unusual before. They had taken up things like smoking, and dancing which went against their strong Victorian era beliefs. Today, we find these roles of women to be common, but at the time this transition from a family oriented to a individual oriented movement had been unsettling for many. There were people who did not understand that women were people as well and that they had dreams and ambitions which changed as their surroundings changed.

Teapot Dome Scandal: From Harding's Election to Oil Companies Controlling Federal Reserves

Harding's election along with his administration was filled with scandals. At the time, winning the Republican nomination for the upcoming presidential campaign seemed unlikely for Harding, but with the help of oil companies he won the nomination. At first Jake Hamon, the prominent leader of the scheme, was hoping to follow through with his plan of stealing the federal oil reserves, established at Teapot Dome and Elkin Hill as a constant supply for the U.S. navy, with the more popular candidate, Democratic nominee James Cox. But Cox refused him. Hamon's plan was to buy the presidency, then acquire the position as the secretary of the Department of Interior so the brought president can conspicuously transfer the control of the oil reserves from the Navy to the Department of Interior. Once he gains the control of the federal reserves he would give no bid contracts to his friends in the oil industry.

Harding then won the election of 1920 by a landslide. He campaigned against Wilson's policies on foreign intervention, which was becoming increasingly unpopular. In addition, he advocated for normalcy and for America's desire to stay home and rebuild family. In Harding's speech at Boston 1920, he said "America's present need is not heroics but healing; not nostrums but normalcy; not revolution but restoration." 

But soon after Harding's administration began Hamon was killed by his mistress Clara. Harding, still trapped in the deal transfers the control of the reserves to the Department of Interior, Secretary Albert Fall. This power was then was secretly transferred into the hands of the Mammoth Oil Company in Wyoming and shared by the Pan American Petroleum Company in California.

When this scandal drew to a close the members involved were charged with "Conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government". In addition, Harding suddenly died after Teapot Dome which has evoke many controversial theories. The Teapot Dome instance became a major icon of political corruption and was known as the most notorious scandal in American history next to the Watergate during Nixon's administration.

Teapot Dome Wyoming

 Albert Fall

President Harding

Regionalism takes Art Forms

Regionalism was a popular modern art movement during the early twentieth century. The movement originated from the Mid-west, with each paintings representing different regions and cultures of America. Artists of this era focused on recreation of rural simple life to understand daily occurrences and disliked life in metropolitan areas and the rapid growth of technology. There were two groups of Artists pertaining to this movement. One group was the Social Realisms who captured the problems and hardships faced by the lower class citizens in urban areas and often advocated for implement of socialist ideals. The other group was the Regionalists who hoped to revive America out of the Great Depression by giving America hope about its future through painting more positive topics. The most often painted subjects are scenes of farm work, transportation, family, community and the American Experience during the Great Depression. The compositions of this movement became a stress reliever for the American public during the Depression because the art works recreated scenes of the American Spirit. Because Regionalists portrayed the American Spirit of hard work and enterprise, Regionalists often received support from conservatives, especially when conservatives along with much of the American public despised Socialistic ideals.  

(Morning Sun, by Edward Hopper)

(American Gothic, by Grant Woods)

(Going Home, Thomas Hart Benton)

(Fall Plowing, Grant Wood)

Regionalism and Local Color: a Intellectual Movement and Flourishes in Literature

Regionalism and Local Color was a movement in both the mind and literature during the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Intellectually the people of this era, especially the South placed a higher priority on regional concerns than national ones, they became more regionally aware. This then reflected in the literature of this era with compositions focusing on differences such as dialects and difference in life style. This distinct style can be seen in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, in the distinct differences between the dialogue of the slave Jim to the "educated" people Huck encounters in his adventures down the Mississippi River. Twains explains "In this book a number of dialects are used, to wit: the Missouri negro dialect, the extremist form of the backwoods Southern-Western dialects; the ordinary 'Pike-Country' dialect; and four modified varieties of this last". In addition, Twain like many authors of this era uses the erroneousness in syntax to define the origins of  his characters .

The Local Color movement enveloped greater areas, from New England to the Mid-West and the South. A dominating theme in the South was the "Lost Cause", the life before the war focusing on how life "might have been". Examples of these stories are Marse Chan by Thomas Nelson Page. Through Marse Chan he told a story about the beauty of the plantation life style, about beautiful Southern women, heroic slave owners and their blissful slaves. Southern writers also wrote about Southern diversity, culture, geography and Southern economy.

Writers of this movement include Kate Chopin, James Lane Allen and E. W. Howe.

(Marse Chan by Thomas Nelson Page)

The Swanky Entertainment called Dance

by Royce Le

            Along with the new addition to the jazz in American culture, there were evolutions of dances also that characterized the Modernist era. The new melodies were fast paced, thus the dances followed suit. The dances were a way for people to express themselves and release pent-up emotions and negative influences from the war, thus acted as a catalyst for making people feel better.

            Back in the 1920s, the older and more conservative generations were opposed to the Jazz era, but, the younger generations reveled in this era and the fast tempo music, thus the creation of intimacy in dances. In the early 1900s, the Tango and the Waltz were considered promiscuous since they involved physical touch between both partners, but, as jazz took off, the intimacy between partners became a social norm.

                                                                        To the left and right are images of the Lindy Hop, a dance named after the great Charles Lindbergh, also nicknamed Lucky Lindy for his skillful and lucky solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. His flight inspired the first dance to have aspects where dance partners are thrown into the air and where there are multiple jumping sequences.

            People looked at the new inspiring dances in movies, listened to steps through phonographs and radio records in order to practice the new dances before showcasing their moves in the clubs or dance floors. Dance became essential to every party and entertainment centers.  Dances were starting to be taught in schools and were used by churches in order to attract people to one another. Dances invented were Foxtrot, Square dance, and the most famous that epitomizes this era being the Charleston.

To the right is an image of the Charleston dance ad for a

Club. According to Comlumbia University Press, “The

Charleston is characterized by outward heel kicks

combined with an up and down movement achieved by

bending and straightening the knees in time to the music”.

 The steps are thought to have originated with the blacks

living on a small island near Charleston, S.C. Performed

 in Charleston as early as 1903.

            

             All-in-all, the dances were used to entertain, to express, and to help carve out the way many people lived during the Modernist Era. The impacts of the invention of these dances are the set foundation for couple dancing during today’s time and age. The dances have really transformed how youth express themselves for now arms, legs, and bodies were tossed in the air with the thought of reckless abandonment and a new ideology of optimism was set for new generations to come and live by.

I Finally Got To Vote

Women's Roles

I Finally Got To Vote

The Right of a Woman

By Hiren Ajudia

           

            When the day had finally come, her happiness knew no bounds. She had completed her daily chores with a prompt enthusiasm and had managed to finish in little less than two hours. Scrubbing the soup pan had tired her hands, but she could not feel any pain, for her mind was envisioning the future. How is the paper going to feel in my hand? Will I see Suzie there? She had worn her best blouse and hoped that she could wear it with pride later that afternoon.  In the years past, she had gotten her son ready for this occasion, but it was finally her turn. She was going to do the same this year.

            As she made her way out of her home and locked her door, she saw all the women in her neighborhood doing the same. She noticed how Ms. Smith had worn her favorite hat and how Ms. Howards had adorned her daughter and was bring her along. As she made her way to her companions, she felt a stab of nostalgia hit her like a brick—in the past she had her friends had walked the same streets with the same sense of dedication; however, their purposes had been different. In the past, heavy signs and boards were in their clutches, but now they had beautiful purses by their side. After a long 100 years, it was finally our chance to be in charge.

            Today, she saw in her mind those words which had changed her life. She was one of the millions of women who had finally gotten a chance to voice their opinions.  She had been tired of being told what she could do and what she couldn’t; she had enough of just being shafted and forced to sit in the corner while her husband and son discussed government. She had often heard her husband curse elected politicians and their actions, but now was her chance to fix that. As she and her friends reached the venue, she could hear the cries of excitement coming from the others just like her. After seeing the posters and the politicians, her blood was fueled with nothing but adrenaline. The time had finally come. Those hard months of rallying and collecting support was finally going to pay off.

We see the narrator and her two friends Ms. Smith and Ms. Howards casting their vote after they were given full rights with the passing of the 19th amendment.

            She was lead to a line with eager women in front of her. One by one, they were taken to a table with a slice of paper and a wooden box. As each woman smiled from ear to ear, they quickly folded their paper and slide it into the box. When it was finally her turn, she quickly picked up her pen and made a giant circle on her paper. The cold paper had been so soft that it could have been easily lost. As she picked it up and slide it into the slit on the box, her excitement could not be contained at all.

            She finally voted.

           

The Cat's Meow: The Roaring Twenties

          By Royce Le

          The Roaring Twenties started with an economic struggle from its transition back to peacetime after World War I. During War World I and after, there were multiple labor union strikes. Those strikes were in hopes of bringing prosperity to the classes, to the economy, and to every individual. The largest strikes were the Seattle General Strike and the Steel Strike which took place in 1919. By 1922, there were compromises and the economy started to ascend to greatness and started to really live up to what we know now as the Roaring Twenties.
           The Roaring Twenties was famously known for being the epitome of surplus wealth due to the famous piece of literature known as The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The root causes of this success

 To the right is the cover to the book written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Initially, when the book was published, the book did not get much limelight and was even criticized and condemned by the people during this era. It was only after Fitzgerald's death that people saw the beauty in the rough. The novel clearly depicted the Roaring Twenties and the life in which Fitzgerald immersed himself in. In today's society, we can see this book used in multiple classrooms in the purpose of teaching about the Roaring Twenties, how life was like compared to today, and the American Dream. Overall, this book was inspirational and did not only paint the picture of that age, but attached itself to whoever read the book.

mainly stemmed from the advantages of new technological advances, which were the development of electricity, the assembly line, the phonograph, and more. From here, employers were able to mass-produce and create surplus items, thus decreasing the prices for certain products. Moreover, there was the invention of investment buying which helped those who did not make much money to pay off the items in increments and intervals rather than paying full price at once. Through these processes, money flowed through the economy and businesses, individuals, families, and all the classes flourished. Sadly, the agricultural business and the rural side of this era were left in the ashes and suffered great. This economic boom would see light only until the 1930s where the "money" which never existed in the first place took its toll on America's economy and left them with a devastating Great Depression. Overall, the Roaring Twenties was the symbol and could even be looked as the goal America wants to achieve again with all its inventions, economic wealth, and success. Now in our day and age, we just need to figure out how to get there and keep our economy there.

Um, I am Lost. Can You Help Me?

Part III

Um, I am Lost. Can You Help Me?

American Literature and How They Got Lost

By Hiren Ajudia

What does it feel like to be lost? Remember as a child how searching up and down every aisle for your parents at the store would give you the jitters? How about going in circles on the road? Is the considered lost as well? During math class, how lost do you get when learning some new concept? Luckily for us, there was always a solution to get on the right track—Lost at the store? Go to the service desk; Lost on the road? Pull over and ask a stranger for directions; Lost in class? Talk to your teacher and get extra help. Our lives never presented us with more severe and extreme situations then this when we were unable to be found. Not all times have been as simple as today. War World I, for instance was a time that Americans were faced with fear, desolation, separation. As the world transitioned into the Modern period during 1914-1945, not everyone was able to make this movement smoothly. For some, the war had shattered their beliefs and made them question everything going on around them. Many individuals had become truly lost, and were not able to find themselves and the reason for their existence in the highly materialistic lifestyle unfolding around them.  For them, the war was no small deal—lives were lost and many people felt they were responsible. Where were they to turn for help? One of the places where people could find comfort and solace was in their writing. The lost generation was the time period where writers active following the World War emerged. This thought that people were missing was voiced by a man names Gertrude Stein when he used the phrase “You are all a lost generation.”  The time period was marked by the feeling that writers shared of disaster resulted in feelings of lost values, lost belief in the human progress, and sought the meaning of life. In order to numb their feelings of betrayal and disaster, people often found themselves caught up with activities like extra marital affairs and excessive drinking to cope with their stress.  Some of the major artists which came from this time period include F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, Ezra Pound, Waldo Peirce, and Sherwood Anderson.  The themes highlighted in the works of these authors including The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot, The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway and Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis are all about youthful idealism and the main characters sought the meaning of life.

Gatsby maybe a tale of a rich man, but Ms. Juarez's Ap Students know the truth behind the glitz and glamor. Not everything that sparkles is gold, and not all gold sparkles. The pain that Gatsby experiences is masked by his wealth, but it still persists in his heart.

            The Great Gatsby, which is an iconic work of literature, shows a world of glitz and glamor, but it also shows that behind that all is pain and unanswered questions. Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the story helps portray the spirit of the “Jazz Age” which he himself described as “The greatest, gaudiest spree in history.” Today, we think of the Jazz age as an attractive and charming lifestyle full with legendary partiers and artistic ambitions, but in reality it was also drinking, romance, tragedy and recklessness. In the book, readers find themselves reading about the crash of the American dream, and the circulating greed and corruption. The America dream inspired people from all over the world to come and witness the miracles of the American economy.  People came to prosper, but along the way, they found themselves picking up other habits as well. Protagonist Gatsby is a member of the war, and upon coming back, he decides that he would reach the top of the status ladder no matter what it takes in order to impress his lady friend, Daisy. “Americans, while occasionally willing to be serfs, have always been obstinate about being peasantry” and to reach to the top, Gatsby finds himself affiliated with dangerous men and illegal activities. In the dog eat dog world, it is seen that no one is spared of greed and selfishness.  However, both Gatsby’s dream and the American dream is shattered when Daisy choose greed and pride over Gatsby.  The easy society and fall of moral values corrupted the dream which started off very correctly. This was representative of America’s desire to prosper which cost the world its unique environment and resources.

           

Given into intoxicating drinks, Jake and his friends give up their environment and are scared by the dangers of the war. They question each step of life to see how they can cope with their stress.

            In his book, The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway portrays the lifestyle of a post-war disillusionment lifestyle in addition to excessive drinking and false relationships.  As seen in the passage, the book’s characters have lost connection to what is the truth around them. “You're an expatriate. You've lost touch with the soil. You get precious. Fake European standards have ruined you. You drink yourself to death. You become obsessed by sex. You spend all your time talking, not working. You are an expatriate, see? You hang around cafes. (Hemingway 120).” Coming directly from the war, Jake and his friends experience the loss of faith, and distrust in life and society. Unlike before, the group finds nothing worthwhile to do because the war altered their beliefs and resort to activities like drinking, dancing, and other forms of time wasting. In order to wipe out their memories of the war, the men find themselves prone to drinking but that is still not able to distract them from the damage cause by the war. In terms of false friendships, the story shows the journey of Jake and how he tried to connect with different people but is not able to do so, and does not even show the slightest hint of regret when he is unable to fulfill his responsibilities as a friend. Throughout the entire story, the characters are fighting against their relationships with each other and their definition of love because the war had a profound impact on their sense of logic and understanding of the world.

            Although the time has passed, these and many other sources in literature help connect the people of today with the themes and lifestyles of the people in the past.

Empathizing with the Economic Slump

by Royce Le

          Industrialization took a big blunder when they made a few bad economic choices that lead to the Great Depression. Around 1929, the Stock Market crashed and the Great Depression era started and was essentially the most depressing, drawn out, and severe economic downfall the U.S has experienced in history. The Stock Market crash was primarily due to overproduction, inflation, and the development of investment buying. People bought products such as ovens, lamps, music players, and refrigerators through investments of low prices such as one dollar each week. People essentially spent money that was never there; when they lost their jobs, companies lost money since their consumers could not pay them back. Thus lead to this whole domino effect that made prices increase, production to slow down, business started to close, people losing their jobs, and the whole depression cycle. Banks ultimately could not hand loans out anymore, consumers could not buy products, businesses could not function, and everything seemed to retrograde from there, trades with other countries suffered, thus not only did the U.S experience this depression factor, but other countries as well.

       

 To the left we see a picture of children picketing on the streets for their parent’s jobs. It was common to see children during this era to wander the streets selling items, asking for jobs, or picketing. This still occurs in third world countries today such as Vietnam, Thailand, and India. 

     

In taking a closer look at the effects on Americans, many workers lost their jobs, many companies went bankrupt and were forces to closed, and many family bonds were broken due to the issue of money.  According to a an article produced from Illinois University, “The result was drastically falling output and drastically rising unemployment; by 1932, U.S. manufacturing output had fallen to 54 percent of its 1929 level, and unemployment had risen to between 12 and 15 million workers, or 25-30 percent of the work force.” This statistic essentially depicts the impacts and the sorrow that many U.S citizens faced during the Great Depression. But instead of the effects on the citizens and businesses, one of the essential results was the transformation of government in this era for the Great Depression really tested and put the government on the hot spot for they were the ones in charge to decide the future of America. Thus why “the Great Depression is often called a ‘defining moment’ in the twentieth-century history of the United States” according to the Library of Economics Liberty. All in all, the Great Depression defied the American Dream and put a cruel burden on the citizens of America, but none the less, the federal government was transforming and have eventually led the way to new economic future where individuals and society can reach new economic dreams and endeavors that correlate with the American Dream.

The Changing World Of Fashion

Fashion 2

The Changing World Of Fashion

The Twenties and the Impact It Had

By Hiren Ajudia

Lucy Hale, A.k.a. Aria is enjoying her Halloween Party in a beautiful Flapper Dress. Look at that stunning head piece!

            At almost every costume party, we see at least one person in a very shinny and sparkly dress. We always think, where did they pick up their head piece? The dress accompanied with a matching head piece, long dangly jewelry and unusual patterns have been able to impress the critics with ease since they first appeared on the market dating back to the twenties. These dresses have been so popular that we recently saw popular actress Lucy Hale sporting a similar fashioned garment in the Pretty Little Liars Halloween special last October. 

            Back in the day, when the Jazz Age had just begun, women had taken a look at their wardrobes and demanded a change. Tired of the Victorian era clothing and old-fashioned clothing, women welcomed this new apparel and life style with open arms.. The Jazz Era had brought with it defiance to regulation, and that was clearly reflecting in the personalities of the women. Gone were the days of shame and corsets, and the true birth of the female known today was born—one with make-up, smoking habits and party goers. The aftermath of the war had caused society to relook their roles and responsibilities. As a result of the war, the social customs and morals were more relaxed then they had been in the past. As women began to pick up new jobs in society, their clothing changed as well. Previous to the war, women were limited to clothes that were more conservative in nature. Today, wearing a skirt may seem like a norm, but during that time it was an entirely different situation. As the war progressed, women had to often pick up after males in the work force, but the ending was an immediate reminder that women were not like men at all. They had a wooing figure, and other enticing features which had been covered for way too long.

            During the 1920s, clothing styles transitioned to show the real figures of women. Women freed themselves from the constricting clothing and began to wear clothing based on comfort. Men had been given the opportunity to freely wear pants, and they seemed rather comfortable as well, so now it was time for the women to give that a try.  Dresses were made with a close fit and with less material to reveal the youthful body that women had. Flapper styles of short skirts, low waistlines, and bobber hair lasted throughout the 1920s. The Victorian locks in the previous time period found themselves on the saloon floors as women began to cut their hair to fit under fashionable hats and other accessories.

            The need for recognition and the women’s rights movements also played a part in the fashion trends of the day. To create awareness and equality between both the male and female sex to add momentum to their rights movement, many women opted for the boyish look. People got to witness devices to help flatten chests, and hips, short hair styles became a popular thing, and so did shorts and trousers. This was all done to show the world how difficult it must have been to cope with sexual discrimination, but at the same time it opened new doors for the women in that time period and their wardrobes. Sure it must have been different at first, but eventually these changes have set the standard for fashion.

Different styles of flapper dresses were ready for different personalities. Different accessories were a part of each dress to make it seem unique. Here we see three different types of flappers.

            In the modern day, we see a boy cut on countless females with pride. Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathaway, and many more.  All inspired by this wonderful time period.

Prohibition: Progressivism taken one step too far

Yes, the Progressive Movement did a lot to change American life for the better.  Significant improvements were made in all of life’s arenas.  But in terms of prohibition, things were taken too far.

It was wishful thinking:  no one could have seriously believed that making alcohol consumption illegal would have radically made Americans decided “Hey, so I know it was legal on Monday and everything, but now since it’s Tuesday and it’s illegal, I probably shouldn’t drink.”  Habits aren’t broken that easily, especially not ones that “relieve pain,” no matter how temporary the relief.

Those who believed prohibition would be successful were incredibly shortsighted.  They put the blame on the saloonkeepers: of course saloonkeepers were the ones convincing Americans drinking was essential.  As soon as the 18^th Amendment put them out of business, Americans would be free to chose not to drink!  Seriously, were we that naïve?

American gangster Al Capone (1899 - 1947).  These gangsters were people who recognized the high demand for alcohol and well as the extremely limited avenues of supply to the average citizen. Within this imbalance of supply and demand, gangsters saw profit.

And of course the drinking businesses wouldn’t put up a fight.  It was like the people whose income came from the drinking industry were expected have a sudden epiphany: “O snap, I can’t sell alcohol anymore because it’s illegal.  Better look for a whole new career.”  No, this was not likely. The term “back-fire” would pretty much do the whole plan justice.  Instead of ridding America of alcohol and the resulting abuse that was wracking families, the illegalization of alcohol prompted the creation of a whole new area of crime.  In fact, even though the sale of alcohol was illegal, alcohol beverages were still readily available at “speakeasies” and other underground drinking establishments.  In addition, many people kept private bars. Large quantities of alcohol were smuggled in from Canada. Further, the Volstead acted permitted the consumption of alcohol for medicinal purposes.  It should be no surprise that the number of prescriptions for alcohol was incredibly high…In fact, over a million gallons were consumed per year through freely given prescriptions.

So far, what has prohibition accomplished?  Let’s see:  (1) it hasn’t greatly reduced alcohol consumption; (2) it has provided a gateway to lucrative opportunities for organized crime.  Could it be any less effective?  Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that numerous politicians and other prominent citizens later admitted to having used alcohol during this time.  President Harding, for example, kept the White House stocked with bootleg liquor (although he had voted for prohibition as a senator.  Hey, people are allowed to change their minds…).  Although it may have been somewhat successful in certain parts of the country, for the most part prohibition led to an increase in lawlessness. 

So, in summary, the best part of prohibition was that it was repealed by the 21^st Amendment in 1933.