Gangs and the Progressive era

Gabrielle Williams

December 16, 2014

Mr. Ward

 Crime; a word that has always struck fear in the hearts of many. Although crime has been present throughout the years, it drastically increased during the Progressive Era. It was the abundance of people along with prohibition that caused a sharp rise in illegal activity. Gangs of the time saw a significant upsurge in competition during this time. It was the Progressive era that shoved seemingly insignificant people like Al Capone and little known gangs such as the Five Points Gang into infamy.

The Five Points gang of New York City, New York were a notorious group of criminals. Their territory was in, not surprisingly, the Five Points area in New York city. There are many reasons that people join gangs. Safety and the need to belong are two of these. Although these are a couple of the reasons individuals may choose to become a member of a gang, there are many factors that go into the actual formation of a gang. During the Progressive era, people wanted change. Women fought for their right to vote, factory workers fought for better safety measures, and men and women such as Upton Sinclair and Ida M. Tarbell fought to bring the poor conditions in impoverished urban areas to light. During this time, another group of people were also fighting, although they were fighting for very different things. Rivaling gangs were fighting for the most money, power, and authority. The large increase in population meant that gangs faced more competition than in the previous years. While some gangs focused on gambling, others specialized  in illegal drugs and prostitution. Some gangs, however, participated in a plethora of criminal activities, not settling on one particular area. The Five Points Gang produced some of the most well known criminal figures. Al Capone, Johnny Torrio, and Lucky Luciano all had their start in the Five Points Gang.

Poor living conditions also contributed greatly to the rise in gangs during the Progressive era. Because more and more people were moving to the cities and the country as a whole, living conditions in large cities declined. People who immigrated from other countries often had little money. This meant that they were forced to live in poor areas with bad conditions. One reason for the formation of gangs is lack of money. Selling drugs and engaging in gambling meant profit for those living in poor areas. Natural born citizens and immigrants alike were desperate to get enough money to feed themselves and their families. This made the formation of gangs inevitable. Also being able to feel and posses power was an important factor in the construction of gangs. The poor often had to see wealthy citizens with much more than they had looking down on them . The idea that they could have power and be able to gain money at the same time was an appealing component.

Perhaps one of the biggest factors in the boom of gang activity was Prohibition. When alcohol was outlawed, the need for it by the people of America shot up. The only way to get it was by illegal means. This is where the gangs came in handy. People were buying alcohol illegally on the blackmarket like never before. Even the mayors and police chiefs of cities were seen drinking alcohol illegally in speakeasies. The high demand for alcoholic beverages created more competition between the gangs. There was a great deal of money to be made off of desperate individuals across the country.

 Although gangs and gang activity was not a new occurrence during the Progressive era, the circumstances surrounding that tumultuous time caused a rise in illegal activities, especially in gangs. Poverty ran rampant through the streets and it seemed as though everyone was fighting for something, gangs included. Prohibition in particular had an incredibly large effect on gangs. Because of the media, news of gangs and their doings traveled far and wide, thus creating notorious figures. Notorious figures that are still well known today and will be for many years to come.  

Works Cited

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"Prohibition in the Progressive Era - American Memory Timeline- Classroom Presentation | Teacher Resources - Library of Congress." Prohibition in the Progressive Era - American Memory Timeline- Classroom Presentation | Teacher Resources - Library of Congress. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.

"The Real Gangs of New York." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.