Gangsters and Mafia

The 1920s were famous for prohibition and gangsters. "Gangsters were known because they bootlegged alcohol, meaning that they sold alcohol illegally." When the eighteenth amendment was passed in 1917, American people started to acted differently. Some people would kill for their beer. The difference between gangsters and bootleggers is that gangsters were more violent towards others. When they tried to take over bars, and the owner would not allow it they would most likely kill them. The men who became gangsters were mainly apart of the lower class, such as Jay Gatsby.

The most famous gangster in the 1920s was Al Capone. Al Capone controlled many places in the city, he controlled speakeasies, poker houses, and nightclubs. Al Capone's gang was also involved in the Valentines Day Massacre. The massacre involved his gang and George "Bugs" Moran's gang. Bugs was a bootlegger as well and the massacre took place in his main liquor headquarters. Six of the seven men were killed. Although Capone was very violent he is said to be generous and closely believed in loyalty and honor. He was one of the original gangsters in the roaring 1920s, the prohibition era.

In The Great Gatsby the gangster is probably Jay Gatsby. He is very secretive and mainly keeps to himself. Jay was very poor in his early years and all of a sudden became very rich. Gatsby was willing to do anything to be rich for his true love, Daisy. So the fastest way to get to the top was to become a bootlegger and move up to a gangster. Gatsby has committed crimes and gives out alcohol at all of his parties and more. He is very secretive and does not like to talk to anyone about his business, and many people believe that he has killed a man maybe even more. We also find out that he will threaten anyone so that he gets what he wants. That is the difference between Gatsby and Capone, Capone believes in honor and Gatsby believes in Daisy.

Work Cited

"The Gangsters of the 1920's". 23 May 2010<www.exampleessays.com>