Who Was Al Capone?

Maxim Prevatt

Mr. Hess, Mrs.Stephenson

US History

18 October 2018

Al Capone

Al Capone is America’s best known gangster and the single greatest symbol of the collapse of law and order in the United States during the 1920s Prohibition era. Capone had a leading role in the illegal activities that lent Chicago its reputation as a “crime city” Chicago in the 1920’s was best known as a town of relentless parties, alcohol, and violence filled streets. The mastermind pulling the strings was the world’s most notorious gangster, Al Capone, who used the motivation of friends Frankie Yale and Johnny Torrio to become the most powerful man in the smuggling business. Al Capone was not like any ordinary criminal, he set out to make the public love him as a person, yet he considered killing to be a part of business.

Who was Al Capone?

Alphonse “Al” Gabriel Capone was born in 1899 Brooklyn, New York, into a family of Italian immigrants. His father, Gabrielle Capone, was a respected barber and his mother, Teresina Raiola, a seamstress. The family moved to America from Naples with big dreams, but they only found hardship in Brooklyn. While living in Brooklyn, Al’s mother gave birth to nine children. Once Capone controlled many businesses in Chicago such as speakeasies, gambling houses, brothels, horse and race tracks, etc. at an approximated income of $100,000,000 a year. For several years, Al Capone was never convicted for the crimes he committed, and when he did, he had an alibi or there was never sufficient evidence against him. Al Capone had more power in society than most of the political leaders did during that time period. It took Al Capone his whole life to achieve the power he had in the Roaring 20’s. About 1920, at Torrio’s