Presentation on Urban and Rural differences of

the 1920'sBrought to you by:

Jordan Fowler: (Expert of organized crime of this period.)

Samantha Silva: (An upcoming lawyer who has rigorously studied the Scopes Trial)

J.T. Francis: (A man dedicated to studying the effects Prohibition brought about to America)

Andrew Khan: (The Summarist and “Tech Guy”)

In General:

Many people flocked to the crowded cities because of the seemingly lavish lifestyle and culture that developed there. It was really a time in which things became popular amongst the public with the invention of automobiles, the rise of Jazz, and fashion became increasingly important to them. It was also a time that many more opportunities were given to women of the time, including the right to vote. Many controversies started in the urban areas, leading to a number of strikes and riots.

As such, rural areas weren't the place most people chose to live, the population of which steadily went down.

Prohibition: An Overview With J.T.

The 18th Amendment

The Eighteenth Amendment (Amendment XVIII) of the United States Constitution effectively established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages in the United States by declaring the production, transport, and sale of (though not the consumption or private possession of) alcohol illegal.

Public Reaction:

The police, courts and prisons were overwhelmed with new cases; organized crime increased in power, and corruption extended among law enforcement officials. Those who smuggled liquor were known as “bootleggers” and places that sold it were known as a “speakeasy”. The amendment was repealed in 1933 by ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment, the only instance in United States history that a constitutional amendment was repealed (with the 21st Amendment). This was Thirteen years after the 18th Amendment was passed.

Summary: ProhibitionProhibition:

Rural areas were mostly for prohibition, while cities were the exact opposite. Prohibition was authorized under the 18th amendment of the United States in 1920, and only repealed in 1933 with the 21st amendment. The people of the 20's especially weren't too happy with Prohibition and revolted against it by brewing and smuggling alcohol. This was such a big deal in this decade that the mob focused it's efforts on

defying Prohibition.

The Scopes Trial with Sam:

How it started:

After WWI, a significant amount of people turned to fundamentalism. Tennessee took this a step further and passed a law outlawing the teaching of Evolution in schools.

John Scopes:In the small town of Dayton Tennessee an avid evolutionist decided

to challenge the law in a way that would both get the town publicity and call the law into question. They chose a young teacher in his 20's, John Scopes, to be the face of it. He was unsure but he went through with it and was arrested for teaching evolution. They wanted him to be seen as guilty so that they could appeal it to a higher court but still call the validity of the law in question during the trial.

Scopes Trial (continued)

Darrow was their lawyer and he was very renowned while the retired former president candidate, William Jennings Bryan, was on the side of the state. Darrow had it out for Bryan and wanted to prove he was a bigot and stop him from making a big speech he had planned for the end of the trial. Darrow calls Bryan to the stand and basically makes him admit that he believes part of the bible to be true only through interpretation.

Scopes Trial Summary:

A very popular trial brought about by the claim that John Scope had taught evolution in a school, against the Butler Act, starting a deliberately staged trial. This case became a raging issue and theological battle about whether or not evolution should be taught in schools.

Organized Crime with Jordan:

The Rise of Bootlegging

Almost the moment the Prohibition began, small gangs started to take advantage of it. When something is illegal, organized crime will almost certainly spring up to supply it, of course for an inflated price. Bootlegging became a massive enterprise, and people like Al Capone became the bosses of some of the biggest illegal enterprises the world had ever seen. In fact, because the police had so much trouble proving when mobsters were bootlegging, the business was hard to stop. Gangs of mobsters started to get more efficient to keep up with demand, and groups developed ‘families’, essentially monarchies to rule their respective criminal enterprises.

Business is Booming:

The business, even amongst mobsters, became so well organized that a national convention of bootlegging enterprises was hosted in Ohio. Twenty three mob bosses attended the event. They discussed the proposition of an international crime syndicate. Gang warfare really heated up in the late twenties, as older mob bosses focused on settling old scores more than generating money. By the time the Prohibition had ended, the Mafia had become too powerful to be fully stopped. It explored other methods of moneymaking, and found other niches.

Organized Crime Summary:

Notably in Chicago, Al Capone led the Chicago Outfit (later renamed the Capones in his honor.) and led the

majority of organized crime in the area, mostly smuggling liquor but not limited to.

Organized Crime Summary:Organized Crime Summary: