To protect their business gangsters corrupted politicians and policemen.

Because of the Prohibition many people started to deal alcohol. Those bootleggers often toke part of organized crimes. The trafic was among Canada, West Indies and Mexico.

To live it up people met at secret places called ¨speakeasies¨ where they could drink alcohol, dance and talk about illegal subjects hidden from every curious ear.

The twenties were a time who people spent time at gorgeous parties. Those parties were a place of exuberance and excess. Rich people used it to show off their money and their upward mobility.

The movie ¨The Great Gatsby¨illustrates to perfection this exuberance.

1920: hair dryer by A.GODEFROY

1922: car radio by G.FROST

1922: electric blender by S.J.POPLAWSKI

1926: television by T.FARNSWOTH & V.ZWORYKIN

1928: electric razor by J.SCHICK

1932: space rocket by R.GODDARD

1935: clothes dryer by J.ROSS MOORE

History : It was instituted because of many factors. In the 19th century Americans consumed 26 L of pure alcohol a year ( in other words : three times more than nowadays ). So alcohol is seen as the responsible of the society problems ( violence, debt ). Many associations were created to fight against the alcohol. From 1840, 8000 associations were created in the united states. Given that Americans were very religious the fight against alcohol was judged as a holy war. 

In this way the prohibition is set up because of the 18th amendment and finished during the 21st amendment in 1933.

Indeed the huge firms were supported by the government.

The electricity and many new technologies grew ( see INVENTIONS ).

Furthermore the automobile sector was in a big expansion, for example with Henry FORD.

So the diet was upgraded, the consumption intensified, people's standard of living improved and cities grew up with skyscrapers