http://history1900s.about.com/od/1920s/p/prohibition.htm
Answer the following questions using the link above and then do the activity in question 6.
1) What was prohibition?
2) Why did we have prohibition?
3) Who did people get illegal alcohol from during prohibition?
4) If those people (in your answer to question 3) were in charge of alcohol at the time, what do you think happened to crime? Why?
5) Why do you think people ignored the law during prohibition?
6) (do A or B):
A) Many people have compared prohibition in the 1920s to many things that are illegal to own today (examples: exotic pets, drugs, fully-automatic weapons). Choose something that is currently illegal to possess (have) and write a letter to the editor that compares and contrasts it with prohibition (think of the crime, the mobs, the people killed, and the fact that most people still consumed alcohol). How is banning this item the same as prohibition? How is it different?
B) Many people consider Prohibition to be a failure. What is your opinion? Write a letter to the editor as if you were living during that time, arguing for or against keeping prohibition.
More info on the Gangsters of the Prohibition Era: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/20th-gangsters.html
How to write a letter to the editor:
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/sub_section_main_1239.aspx