prohibition in USA

[dufka]

Can anyone help me with making up a topic for IA connected with Prohibition in US? Please !

[Julie]

Hmmmm... Interesting

These aren't topics, but maybe you could look into these things to come up with a controversial topic:

• What caused it to be passed and than repealed?
  
• Crime associated with the prohibition
  
• What factors lead up to it?
  
• Major people associated with prohibition (political figures, criminals, activists, etc)
  

[∫ Jorge δx]

You could analyze the effect the prohibition had on the American economy.

Research Question: How and with what effects did the Prohibition of Alcohol in the United States contribute to the economy of the country?

You could also try looking at it from an unconventional angle. Like researching the role of chemists in the bootlegging business during that era; or might as well look at things with wider research, like the Italian mafia or the bootlegging business as a whole.

Edited January 6, 2011 by ∫ Jorge δx

[Julie]

Research Question: How and with what effects did the Prohibition of Alcohol in the United States contribute to the economy of the country?

That's kind of broad in my opinion, but I like the idea of chemists, businesses, Italian maria, etc., but it may be difficult to find documents on that. worth a look though

[∫ Jorge δx]

Oh Julie, the Internet is filled with resources. And if you know where to search, you might as well find first-hand sources.

[Julie]

Oh Julie, the Internet is filled with resources. And if you know where to search, you might as well find first-hand sources.

True... but still... it could be a difficult one...

[JoeG]

Remember to be careful with internet sources, especially with the Mafia.

Make sure that the sources come from a credible orgonization/website.

You don't want the hammer of IB crushing your paper just because of a faulty internet source.

I think the idea of the Mafia (in general) is a good idea, but it depends on what angle you approach it from. The topic (of both the Mafia's role in prohibition, and prohibition itself) has been done MANY times in America, so take that into mind.

If you take a new approach to it, like the role of chemists (as mentioned above) and its affects on the economy, you may have a good paper. Just remember to have a historical focus, and not too much on the Chemistry. If you can incorporate a worldwide perspective, like smuggling of alcohol between the USA and other countries, that may be a good paper.

Another good area would be to focus on the major causes, or major affects of prohibition, such as it leading to major would events years after prohibition. If you want, you could do effects that occurred closer to, or within prohibition.

So, my recommendation is to stay original. Just don't be too original; you don't want the IB readers to think you're crazy lol.

Edited January 7, 2011 by JoeGuff

[Proletariat]

The chemist angle sounds intriguing, but I'd echo the concerns raised earlier about the availability of sources, and even if you do there's no guarantee that what you find is going to be even remotely as interesting as we're all envisioning it could be.

I'd also throw in the idea of looking at how Prohibition impacted the US-Canada relationship; Canada's prohibition did not last nearly as long as the States', and, well, let's just say certain Canadian farmers and distilleries made the best of the situation. Financially.