Prohibition Era | Clever Ways Booze Was Hidden

Summary

This video explores the era of Prohibition in the U.S. (1920-1933) when the 18th Amendment banned the manufacturing, sale, and transport of alcohol. Despite the law, Americans found inventive ways to continue drinking. From simple methods like hiding flasks in clothing to more elaborate schemes such as hollow canes, false-bottomed containers, and even using animals, people defied the ban. Large-scale smuggling operations used cars, boats, and even underwater torpedoes to transport liquor. Eventually, public opposition grew, leading to the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 with the 21st Amendment.

Takeaways

• 📜 The 18th Amendment from 1920 to 1933 prohibited the manufacturing, sale, and transportation of alcohol in the US.
• 🍾 Wealthy individuals could stockpile alcohol before Prohibition, while others relied on prescriptions or sacramental purposes to obtain it.
• 🤓 Creative methods like flasks, thigh flasks, and hidden pockets in clothing were used to smuggle and conceal alcohol.
• 👮‍♀️ Authorities targeted specific groups less, such as women, leading to more successful smuggling attempts by them.
• 📚 Disguises like hollow canes, book flasks, and false bottoms in bags were popular for hiding alcohol.
• 🐮 Innovative tricks included using animal products and even disguising as animals, like the 'cow shoes' trick.
• 🚤 High-level smugglers organized sophisticated operations, such as the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel, which became a significant industry.
• ❄️ In cold conditions, smugglers drove cars across frozen rivers and used speedboats when the ice was not an obstacle.
• 🔧 Smugglers even used repurposed military equipment like torpedoes and U-boats to transport alcohol under the water.
• 🚨 The increase in crime and the Great Depression led to a shift in public opinion, ultimately leading to the repeal of Prohibition with the 21st Amendment.

Q & A

What was the 18th Amendment, and how did it impact the United States?

The 18th Amendment, ratified in 1920, prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol in the United States. This period, known as Prohibition, lasted until 1933 and led to a rise in illegal activities related to alcohol smuggling and production.

How did people legally obtain alcohol during Prohibition?

People could legally obtain alcohol for sacramental purposes or through prescriptions written by doctors. As a result, rabbis and doctors became very popular during Prohibition.

What were some creative methods used by individuals to smuggle alcohol during Prohibition?

Smugglers used a variety of methods, including hiding alcohol in flasks, sewing pockets into clothing, creating hollow canes, using false bottoms in bags, and even disguising themselves as animals with shoes that mimicked cow hooves.

Why were women often more successful at smuggling alcohol during Prohibition?

Women were often more successful because authorities were less inclined to search them thoroughly due to the social norms of the time. Some women hid alcohol in their clothing or under nun's habits, while others used baby strollers.

What role did innovation play in alcohol smuggling during Prohibition?

Innovation was key to smuggling during Prohibition. People used creative tricks like hollow canes, flask books, and false-bottom bags to discreetly transport alcohol. More sophisticated operations involved hiding alcohol in cars, boats, and even underwater torpedoes.

What was the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel, and why was it significant during Prohibition?

The Windsor-Detroit Tunnel was a smuggling route from Ontario, Canada, into Michigan. It became a significant part of the illegal alcohol trade, contributing to a $215 million industry that made it the second largest in Michigan during Prohibition.

How did rum runners use technology to smuggle alcohol across the Detroit River?

Rum runners used speed boats, cable systems, and motorized pulleys to transport alcohol across the Detroit River. In one case, they used torpedoes filled with liquor to move 40 cases of alcohol every hour from Canada to the U.S.

What was the impact of Prohibition on public opinion and the economy?

Prohibition eventually shifted public opinion against temperance, especially during the Great Depression. Legalizing alcohol was seen as a way to create jobs and boost the economy, leading to the repeal of the 18th Amendment with the 21st Amendment in 1933.

What were some of the larger, more organized operations for smuggling alcohol?

Large-scale operations involved building secret compartments in cars, boats, and using World War I German U-boats to smuggle alcohol from Canada into the U.S. These sophisticated methods helped transport large quantities of alcohol despite the efforts of authorities.

How did the discovery of cow shoes in Florida reflect the creativity of smugglers?

Cow shoes, discovered in a Florida forest in 1922, had soles that left prints resembling cow hooves. This method was likely inspired by a Sherlock Holmes story and was an attempt to evade law enforcement by disguising human tracks as animal tracks.