Quick questions on Prohibition: HSC Modern History USA the Volstead era

Temperance had been an organised American movement since the 1820s. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (founded 1874, under Frances Willard from 1879) and the Anti-Saloon League (founded 1893 in Ohio, led by Wayne Wheeler) built a powerful single-issue coalition. By 1916 around half of all Americans lived in dry states or counties.

The National Prohibition Act, sponsored by Representative Andrew Volstead (Republican, Minnesota), defined the prohibited "intoxicating liquor" as any beverage over 0.5 per cent alcohol by volume. It was passed over Wilson's veto on 28 October 1919.

Demand for alcohol was largely unmoved by the law. Consumption fell only briefly in 1920 to 1921 before recovering. Suppliers responded.

Bootlegging delivered violent territorial monopolies. Chicago became the symbol.

Corruption was endemic. Chicago Mayor "Big Bill" Thompson (in office 1915 to 1923 and 1927 to 1931) was a Capone ally. Around 10 per cent of Prohibition agents were dismissed for misconduct. The conviction rate for federal Prohibition cases was around 60 per cent, but penalties were small and trials were jury-nullified in the cities.

Hoover appointed the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement under George W. Wickersham in May 1929. Its report (January 1931) found Prohibition unenforceable but, against the evidence, recommended its retention. The contradiction destroyed remaining respect for the law.

Public health. Alcohol-related deaths fell early but rose again as denatured industrial alcohol entered the supply. Cirrhosis deaths dropped around 30 per cent in 1920 to 1921 and recovered as supply recovered.

Daniel Okrent (Last Call, 2010) is the standard modern history.

Whisky moved from Canada (Windsor across the Detroit River); rum from the Bahamas, Cuba, and the British West Indies ("Rum Row" off the East Coast). Fast boats and the long coastline defeated the small Coast Guard.

Stills proliferated. Industrial alcohol was diverted; the Treasury responded with mandatory denaturing in 1927 that killed around 10,000 Americans by 1933.

Illegal drinking establishments grew from around 15,000 saloons before Prohibition to an estimated 30,000 speakeasies in New York City alone by 1927. The Cotton Club in Harlem and the 21 Club in Manhattan became cultural fixtures.

Big Jim Colosimo was murdered on 11 May 1920. Johnny Torrio took over and consolidated the "Chicago Outfit"; Torrio retired after being shot in January 1925 and handed control to his lieutenant Al Capone. Capone's main rival was the North Side Gang under Dion O'Banion (murdered 1924) and then Bugs Moran.

The "Five Families" took the form they would keep into the post-war era under Lucky Luciano, who eliminated Joe Masseria (15 April 1931) and Salvatore Maranzano (10 September 1931) and reorganised the Italian-American mafia around the Commission.

Alcohol-related deaths fell early but rose again as denatured industrial alcohol entered the supply. Cirrhosis deaths dropped around 30 per cent in 1920 to 1921 and recovered as supply recovered.

Federal alcohol revenue (around 14 per cent of receipts before 1920) was lost, then regained after 1933.