Essay about Rapid Changes During the Jazz Age

I. Introduction a. A testament to the United States' unprecedented prosperity in the Roaring Twenties, jazz's growing popularity sparked a grave controversy, with many viewing the appeal of jazz as either an annoyance or a threat. b. Should the testament to the United States’ prosperity in the Roaring Twenties about jazz’s growing popularity be viewed as an annoyance or threat? c. Jazz’s growing popularity in the United States in a time known as the Roaring Twenties, was a dramatic turning point in the American life. The growing of this musical industry meant jazz would be thrived in adversity and come to symbolize a certain kind of American freedom, and would be called upon to lift the spirits and raise the morale of a

January 29, 1920 the 18th Amendment, prohibiting the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes,” was put into effect until 1933 (history.com). Making alcohol totally illegal was an attempt to enforce sobriety. World War I also aided in the prohibition because food was very scarce. The Lever Act of 1917 outlawed the use of grain to manufacture alcohol (Carnes and Garraty 644). Arrests for public intoxication went down drastically, as well as deaths due to alcoholism. Although, more lives were saved many people violated the law in order to consume alcohol. Smuggling alcohol became a huge business. Wine was still legal for religious purposes, but Carnes and Garraty explain that the consumption of sacramental

Herbert Hoover called it a "noble experiment." Organized crime found it to be the opportunity of a lifetime. Millions of Americans denounced it as an infringement of their rights. For nearly 14 years—from Jan. 29, 1920, until Dec. 5, 1933--the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages was illegal in the United States. The 18th, or Prohibition, Amendment to the Constitution was passed by Congress and submitted to the states in 1917. By Jan. 29, 1919, it had been ratified. Enforcement legislation entitled the National Prohibition Act (or more popularly, the Volstead act, after Representative Andrew J. Volstead of Minnesota) was passed on Oct. 28, 1919, over President Woodrow Wilson’s veto.

After the war, the American people made the change from "old" ways to "new" ways. Many factors, such as new technology, fundamentalism, new looks and church led to tension between the old and the new. The 1920s were a time of conflicting viewpoints between traditional behaviors and new and changing attitudes.

With the emergence of prohibition in the 1920’s came the beginning of speakeasies. The underground became the new home for bars across the United States. For most americans breaking the law now became normal and alcohol was available most everywhere, as long as you knew where to find it. For gangsters the ban of alcohol was just money to take advantage of. Speakeasies were what shaped the 1920’s into the what is now considered the “Classic American Era.” while leaving a permanent mark on society.

If you truly want to appreciate the music you listen to, I would recommend that you

From January 16, 1919 to December 5,1933, the Volstead Act made it illegal to sale, manufacture, or transport alcohol. Although the Volstead Act was to stop drinking completely, it did just the opposite. People were willing to drink alcohol illegally which gave way to bootlegging, speakeasies, gangsters and organized crime.Mark Twain summarizes this time by saying, “Prohibition only drives drunkenness behind doors and does not cure it, or even diminish it.”

The Volstead Act established prohibition in the United States. The Volstead Act made production, importation, and distribution of alcoholic beverages illegal. This Act caused several problems for Law Enforcement after being passed. Prohibition lost people as ignoring the law increased social acceptance and crime violence increased. Businesses were taken over by criminal gangs. These gangs became rich and were admired by locals. It was difficult for Law Enforcement because the gangs became rich and were often able to bribe law enforcement personnel and pay for expensive lawyers. Another major crime was when police reported that six armed men stole $100,000 worth of whiskey from two train cars. Many of these powerful gangs were stashing liquor

Prohibition is when the government illegalized the consumption and manufactures of any type of alcohol. By the 1930, many saloons and bars stayed open even after prohibition law was passed because they were selling bootleg liquor behind the government’s back. Professional criminals joined the underground business of selling bootleg liquor making it a well established underground market. Also in the same year, it was estimated that they were at least 10,000 underground speakeasies (illegal liquors and bars). Speakeasies were prominent and famous is because it’s a profitable job.

Prohibition was set into place on January 16, 1920. Prohibition had been tried before this. It never was successful when tried before. It was often referred to as “the noble experiment” (History Channel 2010). It was not illegal to drink alcohol it was illegal to manufacture and sell liquor (Andrews, E 2015). Manufacturing and selling alcohol was illegal and was punishable by law. There were special agents who investigated these crimes. There were half a million people involved in distilling (Engdahl, S 2012). These people were breaking the law. This was punishable with fines and jail time. There were seven thousand speakeasies in Chicago. There were thirty two thousand speakeasies in New York (Gitlin, M 2011). These speakeasies you needed a code to get into.

In January 1920, Prohibition was mandated under the Eighteenth Amendment to reduce drinking by eliminating businesses that distributed, produced, and sold alcoholic beverages. The Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act combined to make it a federal crime to one who possesses alcohol, even if the consumption was done in private or in one's home. This was made to lower crime and corruption, reduce social problems, lower taxes needed to support prisons and jails, and improve health and hygiene in America. Many women, in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, believed that supporting Prohibition would also protect families, women, and children from the effects of alcohol.

The National Prohibition Act, also known as the Volstead Act, was passed as the 18th amendment on October 28, 1919. The act prohibited alcoholic beverages with an alcohol level of greater than 0.5%. It also regulated the manufacture, production, use, and sale of alcohol.1 The Volstead Act was pushed for by many religious groups who believed alcohol was evil and detrimental to society. The intent of the Volstead Act was to decrease crime and corruption, boost the economy, and improve the health of the American people. Instead, it ultimately resulted in an increase in organized crime and corruption, the economy plummeted, and the rate of alcohol consumption grew rapidly. This is why I believe the Volstead Act was pointless and should never have been passed. It took over a decade for congress to realize their mistake and the Eighteenth Amendment was not repealed until December 5, 1933.

The purpose of prohibition was to improve worker’s efficiency and focus, reduce overall crime rates, and improve the health of American citizens. Instead, this forced the people to rebel against the law to get their alcohol. In any “wet” (people or places that were against prohibition) city or town one could find somewhere in secret to get an alcoholic beverage. The most common place to get a drink was speakeasy, which was a secret room in the back of a restaurant or store where there was live music and alcohol. Prohibition had little known success in preventing the consumption of alcohol in the 1920’s, the 18th amendment was later repealed for its minimal impact on the US.

Alcoholic beverages were illegal in the Roaring Twenties, which caused many Americans to develop hidden bars or speakeasies to drink their alcoholic beverages. The number of speakeasies increased tremendously when the Prohibition Act was established. The high number of speakeasies caused organized activity to increase during the Roaring Twenties. “Speakeasies for illicit drinking sprang up, and organized crime activity increased…” (Hutchinson Encyclopedia). Americans during the Roaring Twenties knew that alcohol was

During the 19th and early 20th century alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling addiction were some of the issues that confounded American society. In order to preserve social morals and improve crime rates, health, and the hygiene of Americans during the early twentieth century, the U.S Senate proposed the eighteenth amendment in 1917. The ratification of this amendment soon made the production, transportation and sale of alcohol illegal. The nationwide prohibition began in the United States in January 1920. Prohibition caused alcohol companies to be shut down by the government, yet there was still a market for alcohol consumption and American street gangs were willing to meet market demands. Big cities such as New York, Detroit, and Chicago became the housing ground for known gangsters like Al Capon, and Lucky Luciano. Instead of prohibition improving America way of life, the police department and public officials were being corrupted by gangsters and crime was increasing.