The Lawless Decade

Life in the 1920s was very different from many other eras throughout the history of the United States. Crime was prevalent all over the country, and people were learning how to hide their crimes successfully. Many mafia gangsters were in the newspapers almost daily. In addition, betting scandals were occurring in sports. The Black Sox Scandal took place because wrongdoings started to become somewhat contagious. The main gangster of this era was Al Capone; his crimes centered mostly on Prohibition. These gangsters, Prohibition, and the Black Sox Scandal have affected the culture by placing a stereotype on Italians, changing the alcohol industry and its ways, and providing preliminary delinquency for future criminals to try to surpass.
A famous scandal arose from within Major League Baseball immediately after the 1919 World Series. The Chicago White Sox, a dominant team during the long duration of the regular season, battled the Cincinnati Reds. The White Sox were heavily f...