May 03, 2014 Sports & Entertainment during the Great Depression. Gangsters got richer and more violent as they fought over control of liquor sales and other illegal activities such as prostitution and gambling, which also grew during the 1930s. The public was fascinated by big-city mob bosses who became the subject of newspaper stories and movies. Throughout the industrial world, cities were hit hard during the Great Depression, beginning in 1929 and lasting through most of the 1930s.Worst hit were port cities (as world trade fell) and cities that depended on heavy industry, such as steel and automobiles.
Illegal Gambling During The Great Depression Movie
Connections with the Dust Bowl and Organized CrimeWe learned before that in 1930, the Mississippi Valley was struck by severe drought. This could not have happened at a worse time because all over the U.S. the depression was beginning to affect people. The event would be nicknamed 'the Dust Bowl,' and it consisted of severe droughts, dust storms, high temperatures, and wind erosion. Because of the event, the affected areas experienced agricultural failure; farmers’ crops and livestock both died, and rural economies, as well as local governments and businesses all collapsed. This is important because usually farmers did not suffer too much from economic depressions; they could always feed themselves. The dust bowl took away that advantage and farmers were forced to gather their most important possessions and head west for California. However, nothing would help because the country was in turmoil.
Moving on, the American mafia and other organized crime syndicates gained power during the years of the Depression. Desperate, unemployed citizens increased the power and influence of the mafia by visiting mob casinos and brothels. In fact, the famous Atlantic City maintained a strong economy during the depression because of illegal gambling activities that were run by the mafia. City officials often looked the other way of these establishments and activities to avoid hurting businesses that were actually succeeding.
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