Al Capone's work during the Prohibition Era

The Prohibition Era was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages that remained in place from 1920 to 1933. During the 19th century, alcoholism, family violence, and saloon-based political corruption prompted activists, led by pietistic Protestants, to end the alcoholic beverage trade to cure the ill society and weaken the political opposition. One result was that many communities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries introduced alcohol prohibition, with the subsequent enforcement in law becoming a hotly debated issue. Prohibition supporters, called drys, presented it as a victory for public morals and health.

Al Capone was born on January 17, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York to Italian immigrants. He was considered a gang member in Brooklyn. In his early twenties, he moved to Chicago and became a bouncer for Johnny Torrio, the head of a criminal syndicate that illegally supplied alcohol—the forerunner of the Outfit—and that was politically protected. After Torrio almost died in a conflict with another gang, Torrio retired and by that time had become close to Capone. Torrio handed Capone control of his business. From there Capone expanded the bootlegging business through increasingly violent means, but his mutually profitable relationships with mayor William Hale Thompson and the city's police meant that he seemed safe from law enforcement. An establishment that refused to purchase liquor from him often got blown up, and as many as 100 people were killed in such bombings during the 1920s. Rivals saw Capone as responsible for the proliferation of brothels in the city. Capone became the leading supplier of alcohol to all of Chicago and he was widely feared because of his violent tendencies. Capone indulged in custom suits, cigars, gourmet food, drink and female companionship. He was particularly known for his flamboyant and costly jewelry. His favorite responses to questions about his activities were: "I am just a businessman, giving the people what they want"; and, "All I do is satisfy a public demand." Capone had become a national celebrity and talking point.

Al Capone is known for his bribery, violence, massacres, and most of all, alcohol smuggling. Al Capone was the biggest supplier in Chicago to speak easy's which we learned about in class. Even today, Al Capone is the archetype of smuggling and political corruptness. He will forever be remembered as the most ruthless criminal even if his customers loved his work.


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Al_Capone_in_1930.jpg/1200px-Al_Capone_in_1930.jpg

Bibliography
https://www.biography.com/people/al-capone-9237536
http://www.history.com/topics/al-capone
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Al-Capone