What Was Prohibition?

6. Gangsters

Chicago's Al Capone is one of the most well-known gangsters of the Prohibition era. He was just one of the numerous gangsters who had either stockpiled liquor or hired rumrunners or bootleggers to quench the thirst of a now dry nation. Capone's illicit activities made him a wealthy man.

Capone and his cronies owned many of the nightclubs and often bribed local police to turn a blind eye to their activities. Most cities were not prepared for the sheer amount of manpower and resources required to enforce the new law, and a general sense of lawlessness prevailed.