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Overview of social/cultural climate in the 1920s.
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Gangsters and Bootleggers
By Will BBobbie T
Barbara L
Bootlegging and Rum-Running
Bootlegging- smuggling of alcohol on land
Rum-running- smuggling of alcohol over seas
Gangsters made huge profit from bootlegging alcohol because there was a large desire for it and the government could not tax or regulate it
Famous Gangsters
Al Capone
Leader of a gang called the“Capones” in Chicago
Famous for bootlegging andracketeering
Participated in Chicago’s“St. Valentine’s Day Massacre”
Bill McCoy Considered himself an “honest
lawbreaker” Rum-runner during prohibition Smuggled from the Bahamas to “rum row” in Long Island Actions created the phrase “the real
McCoy”
Enoch “Nucky” Johnson Main character of “Boardwalk
Empire” Atlantic City political boss and
racketeer Facilitated the illegal alcohol trade in
Atlantic City Helped to build up Atlantic City as
“The World’s Playground”
Importance of Gangsters 1920s were a time of large corporate
monopolies, so the “little guy” had no voice Gangsters were “urban Robin Hoods” Helped out the “little guy” and were thus
generally well liked by their communities Some (i.e. Nucky Johnson) became
politicians because of their appeal to the masses
The mass appeal and support of politicians facilitated gangsters’ illegal activities