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The Roaring Twenties: Jazz and Prohibition

Gangsters and Organized Crime

The Roaring Twenties

During the Roaring Twenties, gangsters and organized crime became synonymous with the illegal alcohol trade that was fueled by Prohibition. With the sale and distribution of alcohol being illegal, criminal organizations saw an opportunity to make huge profits. Gangsters like Al Capone and Bugs Moran in Chicago, Lucky Luciano in New York, and Arnold Rothstein in New Jersey became household names as they built vast criminal empires.

Criminal Activities

These gangs not only controlled the illegal production and distribution of alcohol but also engaged in other illegal activities such as:

  • Gambling
  • Prostitution
  • Protection rackets

They used violence and intimidation to maintain their control over their territories and eliminate rival gangs.

Gang Violence

One of the most famous incidents of gang violence during the Roaring Twenties was the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago in 1929, where seven members of Bugs Moran's gang were gunned down by Capone's henchmen.

Legacy

Despite the efforts of law enforcement agencies, gangsters and organized crime continued to thrive during the Roaring Twenties, and their influence on American society and culture is still felt today.

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