Topic > Prohibition and the Prohibition Movement - 3306

Early American settlers believed that liquor was a “good gift of nature” (Prohibition). Rum was usually present at community meetings. Even so, it was considered a sin to drink more alcohol than necessary. Unfortunately more and more people began to abuse rum and campaigns arose to stop this abuse. One of the first recorded temperance newspapers came out in 1840. This newspaper, called the Wisconsin Temperance Journal, contained a pledge that readers would take before continuing. The pledge reads: "We, the undersigned, agree that we will not use intoxicating liquors as beverages, nor traffic in them, that we will not supply them as an article of entertainment, or to persons employed by us. and that, in all appropriate ways, we will advise against its use throughout the community.” (Wisconsin Temperance Journal) These campaigns to stop people from drinking were called temperance movements that eventually led to the theory of national prohibition of the 1870s women's groups had formed to fight the "demon rum." The Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) campaigned against alcohol and in support of Prohibition. Some time later, in 1893 a name appeared most recognizable in the prohibition movement, the Anti-Saloon League (ASL) grew rapidly across the nation and spent millions on anti-alcohol literature and sending diplomats to federal and state governments. These diplomats lobbied for legislation banning alcohol. As a result of the ASL's efforts, individual states began passing prohibition laws in 1907. Seven years later, by the end of 1914, eleven states had passed such (prohibition) laws. With the powerful influence of the ASL on the congressional elections in 1916, the paper center supported by the ASL, unfortunately, did not achieve any results. The most infamous names in organized crime, such as the American Mafia and Al Capone, set precedence in how organized crime was handled. Never before had American gangs operated nationwide, never before had crime been considered glamorous, and never before had the average citizen broken the law on a daily basis. The nature of crime is still changing today. A new type of crime has flourished recently. Cybercrime is silently terrorizing America and has become nearly unstoppable. The FBI has been tracking the amount of Internet crime in the United States since 2001. In total, 289,874 reports of Internet crime were reported to the FBI in 2012 alone (annual reports). The victims' total monetary loss is estimated at $525,441,110.00. Of which $4,672,985.06 came from victims of FBI identity theft emails. (Annual reports)