The Expansion of Organized Crime

With the adoption of the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution - making the manufacture, sale, or transportation of liquor a federal crime - countless men and women were out of jobs; as bars, taverns, and liquor manufacturing factories were shut down. Many citizens also anticipated that they would no longer be able to go out on the town and enjoy a drink with their friends, socialize at a local tavern, or relax in the comfort of their own homes with a glass of beer. Life for urban civilians - mainly in major cities along the eastern seaboard, where companionship and alcohol seemed to go hand in hand- appeared to be going completely downhill. In response, a group of great men would put forth a miraculous effort to bring enjoyment back into the lives of all of those who thought that the new Amendment would put a damper on their merriment, as well as earn a small fortune for them. These men, who included the likes of Alphonse "Scarface" Capone, Dion O'Banion, and Johnny Torrio, were members of various organized crime groups, who rebelled against the government by bootlegging alcohol to sell to the public. …