BootleggingSince the Volstead Act/Prohibition, people that craved alcohol had been going crazy. Many people would go to the end of the earth for alcohol during this prohibition act, therefore there became a new type of criminal. They were the Bootleggers. Bootleggers were known as suppliers of illegal alcohol back in the 20's.
There were multiple ways for bootleggers to supply the illegal alcohol to the consumers. The two main ways for the bootleggers to supply were to use a "still" or to smuggle. A still was quite common in the 20's and are devices that were used to produce alcohol from common vegetables like corn, potatoes or from other fruits/vegetables. The other way that bootleggers supplied the alcohol would be to smuggle it in from Canada or overseas from the Caribbean. They would anchor their boats far off the coast of America and then would pick up the supply and put it on speed boats to outrun the coastguard. Then, trucks would pick up the alcohol from the boats and then would drop it off at local places of supply like clubs or speakeasies. | SpeakeasiesSpeakeasies were very common in the prohibition period of the United States. Speakeasies were bars that served alcohol illegally. These "bars" were extremely popular in major cities of each state. In some cities there could be thousands of speakeasies and bootleggers that would supply alcohol to local citizens. Although there were thousands of these illegal bars in the states, you weren't able to just "waltz" right into one of them. You were required to become a member of the speakeasy (which is how these bars made their money; from monthly memberships). Some speakeasies were very creative and discreet with their entrances to the club. Paul Morland claimed that "Some speakeasies are disguised behind florists' shops, or behind undertakers' coffins. I know one, right in Broadway, which is entered through an imitation telephone-box; it has excellent beer."
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