lecture recording on 04 March 2025 at 13.14.14 PM

Introduction to the Eighteenth Amendment

• The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the sale and distribution of alcohol in the United States.

• It did not outlaw drinking itself; people could still consume alcohol but could not legally buy it.

The Impact on Alcohol Prices

• Wealthy individuals stockpiled alcohol in anticipation of the ban, leading to a sharp rise in prices.

  • Example: President Wilson reportedly bought 400 bottles of his favorite bourbon before the alcohol ban.

The Temperance Movement

• Driven primarily by women during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

• Women aimed to reduce domestic violence and societal issues related to alcohol, particularly concerning abusive husbands.

• The movement mostly targeted public sale establishments such as saloons.

• Ironically, prohibition resulted in creating a financial burden for the poor who couldn’t afford to smuggle high-end alcohol.

Home Production of Alcohol

• Many individuals, particularly the poor, turned to creating homemade alcohol (often referred to as bathtub gin).

• Bathtub production involved fermenting grape juice to create cheap wine, but the quality was often poor.

• The danger of homemade alcohol included health risks, such as blindness due to poor distilling processes.

  • Common term for illegal alcohol: "Moonshine."

Economic Impact of Prohibition

• Prior to Prohibition, taxes on alcohol accounted for about 3% of federal revenue.

  • This might appear small, but in monetary terms (e.g., millions of dollars), it had significant implications.

• Loss of tax revenue was one of the factors contributing to financial instability during the onset of the Great Depression.

Illegal Distribution: Bootlegging and Organized Crime

• Prohibition resulted in a significant rise in organized crime as bootlegging became widespread.

• The mafia and other crime syndicates, like Al Capone's gang, capitalized on the demand for illegal alcohol.

• Bootleggers used various methods such as smuggling and creating fast cars specifically for transporting illicit alcohol.

Characteristics of Bootleggers

• Distillation was often done in remote locations to evade police detection (e.g., mountains, forests).

• Accounts of high-speed car chases gave birth to stock car racing, which later evolved into NASCAR.

Speakeasies: Secret Bars

• Speakeasies were illegal bars that sometimes disguised themselves as ordinary businesses like laundromats or bookstores.

• Customers could gain access through secret entrances after making specific requests (e.g., ordering a "special tea").

Social and Racial Issues of the 1920s

• The resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s saw it expand its target groups to include immigrants and Jews, alongside African Americans.

• The Tulsa Massacre (1921) involved the violent targeting of the prosperous African American community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as Black Wall Street.

  • Triggered by an unfounded assault allegation against a black man, resulting in widespread riots and destruction of black-owned businesses.

Overview of the Scopes Trial

Key Figures

• William Jennings Bryan: A conservative politician and three-time presidential candidate who defended the anti-evolution law.

• Clarence Darrow: A renowned defense attorney known for his progressive views and defense of the teacher, John Scopes.

Significance

• The trial represented a cultural clash between modern science and religious beliefs about creation and evolution.

• While Scopes and Darrow lost the trial, the case sparked public debate regarding academic freedom and the teaching of evolution in schools.

• The trial gained massive media attention and is seen as a pivotal moment in American legal history concerning educational rights.

Economic Context Leading to the Great Depression

Introduction of Republican Presidents

1. Warren G. Harding (1920-1923): First president after women's suffrage.

   • He faced high unemployment rates due to soldiers returning from war.

   • Introduced deregulation to combat unemployment but led to long-term economic issues.

2. Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929): Continued Harding's policies with minimal government intervention.

   • His tenure experienced economic boom but ignored warnings about impending economic collapse.

3. Herbert Hoover (1929-1933): Received blame for the Great Depression.

   • Adopted a "rugged individualism" philosophy, promoting self-reliance over government intervention, complicating the response to the crisis.

Contributing Factors to the Great Depression

• Deregulation led to financial problems across industries.

• The end of the war reduced former agricultural profits, resulting in excess supply and falling prices.

• An increase in stock market speculation, combined with buying stocks on margin, set the stage for financial disaster.

  • Black Tuesday (October 29, 1929): The stock market crashed, leading to widespread financial panic and loss.

• With the financial system in turmoil, banks failed and millions lost their jobs, deepening the economic crisis.

Social Consequences

• Unemployment soared to around 25%, with many underemployed and unable to afford basic needs.

• The rise of shantytowns and soup kitchens reflected the desperate conditions many Americans faced during this time.

• Rail jumping became a method of survival for unemployed individuals searching for work.

Conclusion

• The timeline from Prohibition to the Stock Market Crash illustrates the complex interplay of social, political, and economic factors that contributed to one of America's most challenging periods.