Italian Mafia Essay

Words: 1371
Pages: 6

The Mafia was first developed in Sicily in feudal times to protect the estates of landlords who were out of town. The word Mafia, derived from the Sicilian word, Mafioso, means family. Today, Mafia is a name which describes a loose association of criminal groups. These groups can be bound together by blood, oath or sworn secrecy. Many people had considered the Sicilian Mafia as the most ruthless mobsters of the twentieth century. By the 1900‘s, the Mafia had become known as a network of criminal thugs that dominated the Sicilian countryside. Members of the Mafia were bound by Omerta. Omerta, an Italian word, stands for a strict code of conduct. The code include avoiding all contact or cooperation with authorities. In the beginning the …show more content…
Of this set up, authorities were able to arrest two men in connection with the Mafia. For the next couple of years, Enrico feared for his life, and had several guards escort him everywhere he went. At the time, Johnny Torrio was the godfather, or leader of the Italian Mafia in Chicago.

The prohibition had begun. Now not only did the underworld specialize in crimes such as prostitution, and gambling, but in illegal liquor, better known as bootlegging, too. He believed in only using force when necessary. There were several gang feuds. Torrio was able to regulate gang wars by allowing each gang to self govern their own territory. When trouble arouse the gangs agreed to pull together and fight off any interference's in their businesses. When the new governor of Chicago took office, Torrio attempted to buy him off. Governor Deven refused. He came back at Torrio with closing down his club. Eventually the Mafia was defeated once again and forced out of the inner city of Chicago, onto the suburban streets. Torrio soon went back to Italy and lift an outgoing young Italian by the name of Al Scarface Capone in Charge. Some people to this day feel that leaving Capone in charge was a bad idea. Capone received his nickname Scarface due to a scar on the side of his face. He obtained this scar during a knife fight in a bar over a prostate. Unlike Torrio, Capone felt it necessary to use violence