Prohibition

The Prohibition, a time of great change in America. After 70+ years of the Anti-Saloon league, Women Christian Temperance and women in general trying to get rid of alcohol. January 16th, 1920 is the day the United States became dry. People would say that, "down in the hollers.." is the place where moonshine came about. This is an alcohol, strong like whiskey that was made illegally by certain groups, mobs and gangsters. By these groups, alcohol filled cities again. But secretly ; however many payed a price of membership in these so called mafias. Bootleggers began their tasks running alcohol from place to place. As well as running from the police. Some of the most famous "Bootleggers"/ "Rum-Runners" were Al Capone, Dutch Schultz and Charles Luciano. Known for their dangerous hobby, of illegal alcohol transportation. As Al Capone would say, "Some call it bootlegging. Some call it racketeering. I call it business."

"Prohibition only drives drunkenness behind doors and into dark places, and does not cure it or even diminish it" -Mark Twain

Evolution of Women in general

With the Prohibition came a new era for the Women in the 1920's. These women known as "flappers". They were the more risky, revealing and rowdy image of a young lady in this time. Many women viewing these ladies saw them as prostitutes, or a more provocative female. Skin showing below the knee and even sometimes above. The short hair, make-up and now smoking. They became a more flashy group of women. Not afraid to drink or party with the men. But as many, there was low tolerance for the rowdy crowd. Agatha Christie says, “Now I am old-fashioned. A woman, I consider, should be womanly. I have no patience with the modern neurotic girl who jazzes from morning to night, smokes like a chimney, and uses language which would make a billingsgate fishwoman blush!”

Women's Suffrage

From Flappers and a change in women also came Women's Suffrage. Now don't think this means women suffered or went through violence. Which of course everyone encountered and encounters bad things through their lives. But this was actually a good thing. This was the right to vote for women. At first starting out a small group of women and turning into what we have now days. But a lot of people did not want this to happen. White Americans' thought that letting African Americans vote would increase the ignorance for the elections and a chance for women to have a say. "In those Southern States where the colored population outnumbers the white, to double the number of ignorant voters." This is an excerpt from John A. Moon a Tennessee Representative. Many people thought that women were not smart enough to have a say in voting, or in politics of any sort. This was not only agreed by many men, but also women were agreeing to the thought of an Anti-Suffrage. The want for rights, showed women and people that it was indeed okay to revolt against those who disagree.Which in fact wasn't okay.

I think the picture was funny because it's showing that the Law couldn't control the Bootleggers that were running the towns. That's why mobs and gangs were so big during this era because there were so many of them. There was no way possible for the groups to be stopped.

The 1920's was a big change in American History. But there was still a halt on a lot of things. The African American's were still treated not the best as well as the KKK being brought back into the world. There was still Violence and many things brought from the early eras that made it hard for some people to see a time of change. Many African Americans were left with large amounts of Citizens who were educated poorly if educated at all. And Sharecropping was brought back into the 1920's. So in some cases it was hard to say the 1920's was a huge time of change. But also a return to normalcy.

From here on out, many people will still have their own opinions on the 1920's being a time of change or a return to normalcy. This time brought a whole new look on migration and whole new look on women's behavior. Alcohol and all of the violence and adrenaline rushing crime that was uprising through the prohibition. To me the 1920's was a huge change in American History and a huge improvement on the outlook of many things now days.