The Roaring 20s brought cultural advancement, economic growth, and technological breakthroughs. Entertainment expanded with the rise of radio, movies, and sports. However, Prohibition in the US from 1920 to 1933 resulted in the growth of organized crime as gangsters smuggled alcohol and controlled speakeasies. Figures like Al Capone built powerful criminal empires before the law was finally repealed due to its harmful unintended consequences.

1. The Roaring 20s!The Roaring 20s!

2. Entertainment - RadioEntertainment - Radio
 Popular and cheapPopular and cheap
 Sitting around the radio atSitting around the radio at
night became family ritualnight became family ritual
 By ’29 79 stations inBy ’29 79 stations in
Canada, relied on AmericanCanada, relied on American
programmingprogramming
 ““Americanism” was aAmericanism” was a
problemproblem
 CBC created in ’33 to fosterCBC created in ’33 to foster
Canadian ideals and cultureCanadian ideals and culture

3. RadioRadio
During the show “Amos ‘n’
Andy,” cities were said to
come to a standstill and crime
was almost non-existent.

4. Entertainment - MoviesEntertainment - Movies
 American movies outshone CanadianAmerican movies outshone Canadian
 ’’20s silent films were very popular20s silent films were very popular
 Sound effects provided by orchestrasSound effects provided by orchestras
 Subtitles spliced onto the screenSubtitles spliced onto the screen
 US: 100,000,000 ticketsUS: 100,000,000 tickets every weekevery week
 Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, MaryCharlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary
Pickford, Rudolph ValentinoPickford, Rudolph Valentino
 Silent screen era ended whenSilent screen era ended when The Jazz SingerThe Jazz Singer
came out in ‘27came out in ‘27

5. Famous Movie StarsFamous Movie Stars

6. Entertainment - SportsEntertainment - Sports
Lionel “Big Train” ConacherLionel “Big Train” Conacher
Canada’s best athlete 1900-1950Canada’s best athlete 1900-1950
Champ in wrestling, hockey, lacrosse,Champ in wrestling, hockey, lacrosse,
basketball, boxing, footballbasketball, boxing, football
Percy WilliamsPercy Williams
1928 Olympics he won the 100 and 200m1928 Olympics he won the 100 and 200m
racesraces
Ran with his arms at his side!Ran with his arms at his side!
Canada’s first great track athleteCanada’s first great track athlete

7. Conacher and WilliamsConacher and Williams

8. Entertainment - SportsEntertainment - Sports
Babe RuthBabe Ruth
Biggest celeb of the 20sBiggest celeb of the 20s
Home Run King of many yearsHome Run King of many years
Big, brash, full of lifeBig, brash, full of life
Edmonton GradsEdmonton Grads
Female basketball teamFemale basketball team
502-20 from 1915-1940502-20 from 1915-1940
27 straight wins at the Olympics27 straight wins at the Olympics

9. Ruth and the GradsRuth and the Grads

10. Entertainment - CultureEntertainment - Culture
Mickey MouseMickey Mouse
11stst
two films a floptwo films a flop
Walt Disney added a voice in “SteamboatWalt Disney added a voice in “Steamboat
Willie” and stardom beganWillie” and stardom began
Winnie the PoohWinnie the Pooh
Lovable bear “with little brain” debuted in aLovable bear “with little brain” debuted in a
magazine articlemagazine article
Then made into children’s books andThen made into children’s books and
animated filmsanimated films

11. Flappers
 After WWI ended, both men and women were
anxious to return to the way society was before
1914
 First appeared in Great Britain
 Flapper used to mean “fledgling”, but changed to
mean “the symbol of budding girlhood”.
 Began with taking off extra restricting clothing
while dancing (Jazz Age required free
movement)

12. Flappers
 Things like corsets and conservative clothing
were set aside
 Common style before the 1920s: Corsets, long
dresses with sleeves, blouses puffed into a
“pigeon breast” shape, and narrow waist.
Necklines were always accentuated with high
collars.
 Changes in women’s appearances seen as
drastic and shocking
 Common style in the 1920s:Calf length/knee
length dresses, short hair, lots of makeup, loose
dresses with straight silhouettes.

13. Flappers: Before and After

14. FlappersFlappers

15. 1920s Slang1920s Slang
 Cat’s meowCat’s meow
 Blind PigBlind Pig
 All WetAll Wet
 Giggle WaterGiggle Water
 HoochHooch
 DogsDogs
 Heebie JeebiesHeebie Jeebies
 LampsLamps
 The Real McCoyThe Real McCoy
 Very SharpVery Sharp
 Illegal Drinking SpotIllegal Drinking Spot
 Out to LunchOut to Lunch
 BoozeBooze
 AlcoholAlcohol
 FeetFeet
 JittersJitters
 EyesEyes
 Genuine ArticleGenuine Article

16. Henry FordHenry Ford
Introduced the Model T Ford automobileIntroduced the Model T Ford automobile
Ushered in the age of the assembly lineUshered in the age of the assembly line
Without any pressure he reduced the workWithout any pressure he reduced the work
day from 9 to 8 hoursday from 9 to 8 hours
Raised minimum wage from $2.40 to $5Raised minimum wage from $2.40 to $5
This led to more people buying his carThis led to more people buying his car
Other manufacturers were using theOther manufacturers were using the
assembly line to make more quicker andassembly line to make more quicker and
cheapercheaper

17. Henry Ford and His Model THenry Ford and His Model T

18. The AirplaneThe Airplane
• Between 1903 and 1918, airplanes were “slow to
get off the ground” as an invention for practical
use.
• However, after WWI, they really “took off.”
• In 1920, the first transcontinental air route was
established between New York and San
Francisco
• By 1927, airplane technology had improved
enough to allow Charles Lindbergh to fly solo
across the Atlantic Ocean.

19. AirplaneAirplane
• What types of industries
would you expect to
benefit from reliable
airplanes?
• Besides pilot, what types
of new jobs would the
airplane industry
produce?
Mail Service Airplane - 1920

20. The Roaring 20sThe Roaring 20s
They were a time for:They were a time for:
Cultural advancementCultural advancement
Economic growth and prosperityEconomic growth and prosperity
Technological breakthroughTechnological breakthrough

21. ProhibitionProhibition
DefDef: the restriction of manufacturing,: the restriction of manufacturing,
transportation, importing, exporting, andtransportation, importing, exporting, and
sale of alcoholic beveragessale of alcoholic beverages
Wilfrid Laurier did not want to introduce aWilfrid Laurier did not want to introduce a
federal billfederal bill
As a resultAs a result provinces enacted their ownprovinces enacted their own
lawslaws
Most provinces ended them by 1929Most provinces ended them by 1929
PEI: prohibition from 1900-1948PEI: prohibition from 1900-1948

22. ProhibitionProhibition
 TermsTerms
 SpeakeasiesSpeakeasies: places where illegal alcohol was sold: places where illegal alcohol was sold
 PrescriptionsPrescriptions: Doctors could prescribe alcohol to: Doctors could prescribe alcohol to
patientspatients
 Organized CrimeOrganized Crime : Gangsters took over the: Gangsters took over the
distribution of illegal alcoholdistribution of illegal alcohol
 Rum RunningRum Running: the act of smuggling alcohol over the: the act of smuggling alcohol over the
border from Canada to the USborder from Canada to the US
 Bathtub GinBathtub Gin: booze made at home from industrial: booze made at home from industrial
alcohol or poisonous chemicals. Some would becomealcohol or poisonous chemicals. Some would become
blind or receive brain damage.blind or receive brain damage.

24. Saint Valentine’s Day MassacreSaint Valentine’s Day Massacre
•On the morning of Thursday,
February 14, 1929 St.
Valentine's Day, six members
of the "Bugs" Moran gang and
Dr. Reinhardt H. Schwimmer
were lined up against the rear
inside wall of the garage and
shot and killed
•Possibly they were killed by
members of Capone's gang,
possibly by "outside talent“,
most likely by a combination of
both.
•Afterwards a large crackdown
on gangs started by the
government

25. Prohibition - USAProhibition - USA
 America created the 18th Amendment whichAmerica created the 18th Amendment which
started prohibition in January 1920started prohibition in January 1920
 In Canada, the owning or drinking of alcohol wasIn Canada, the owning or drinking of alcohol was
not illegal --not illegal -- it was legal to manufacture and exportit was legal to manufacture and export
the stuffthe stuff -- just the selling of it was illegal-- just the selling of it was illegal
 Many Canadians smuggled alcohol into the USMany Canadians smuggled alcohol into the US
 In 1929 in NYC, there were an estimated 100,000In 1929 in NYC, there were an estimated 100,000
illegal drinking densillegal drinking dens
 By 1929 there were an estimated 1,000 deathsBy 1929 there were an estimated 1,000 deaths
due to the drinking of bad alcoholdue to the drinking of bad alcohol
 Prohibition came to an end in the United States inProhibition came to an end in the United States in
19331933

26. Al CaponeAl Capone
 By 1922, Capone wasBy 1922, Capone was
responsible for much of theresponsible for much of the
alcohol and prostitutionalcohol and prostitution
rackets in Chicagorackets in Chicago
 Immune to prosecution dueImmune to prosecution due
to large payoffs to officialsto large payoffs to officials
(made $100 million a year)(made $100 million a year)
 FBI led by Eliot Ness finallyFBI led by Eliot Ness finally
brought him down onbrought him down on
evasion of taxes chargesevasion of taxes charges
 Capone was sentenced toCapone was sentenced to
11 years in jail where he11 years in jail where he
dieddied

27. Rocco Perri -- King of theRocco Perri -- King of the
BootleggersBootleggers
"Canada's Al Capone""Canada's Al Capone"
head of the Calabrianhead of the Calabrian
mob in southern Ontariomob in southern Ontario
with his common-lawwith his common-law
wife, Bessie Starkman,wife, Bessie Starkman,
the only Jewish womanthe only Jewish woman
in history to commandin history to command
an Italian mob, created aan Italian mob, created a
huge rackets empirehuge rackets empire

28. Rocco PerriRocco Perri
while other mobsterswhile other mobsters
shipped booze south byshipped booze south by
boat along the coast,boat along the coast,
Perri laundered hisPerri laundered his
liquor as turnipsliquor as turnips andand
sent boxcar loads southsent boxcar loads south
to New York and west toto New York and west to
ChicagoChicago
it is believed that he's init is believed that he's in
a barrel of cement at thea barrel of cement at the
bottom of Hamilton Baybottom of Hamilton Bay

29. King CanadaKing Canada
Blaise Diesbourg a.k.a. King CanadaBlaise Diesbourg a.k.a. King Canada,,
bootlegged and bartended at his brotherbootlegged and bartended at his brother
Charlie’s hotel in Belle RiverCharlie’s hotel in Belle River
a supplier to The Purple Gang in Detroit anda supplier to The Purple Gang in Detroit and
the Capone Gangthe Capone Gang
With an increase of police patrols on theWith an increase of police patrols on the
waterways, Diesbourg took to the skieswaterways, Diesbourg took to the skies

30. Prohibition Video QuestionsProhibition Video Questions
1.1. Who was for Prohibition?Who was for Prohibition?
2.2. How did the War relate to it?How did the War relate to it?
3.3. Who was Ben Kerr?Who was Ben Kerr?
4.4. What dangers were present duringWhat dangers were present during
Prohibition?Prohibition?
5.5. Describe Al Capone, his organization,Describe Al Capone, his organization,
and his downfall.and his downfall.
6.6. Why did prohibition fail?Why did prohibition fail?