ENGLISH

Car Racing's Prohibition Roots

Lawmakers and law breakers. Tire-squealing car chases along dark, winding roads. And the unexpected emergence of a multi-billion-dollar empire.

It's an action-packed story that begins with the Prohibition era (1920–1933) in the United States. Historians say it continues still, a century later. The story involves a sports organization that revs fans up all over the world. That's the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, better known as NASCAR.

In 1920, the recently ratified 18th Amendment became the law of the land. The amendment banned the production, importation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the U.S. But not everyone was willing to obey the new rules. Even before the federal law was enacted, people made and sold illegal alcohol. They wanted to avoid paying high taxes on their profits. For some, selling alcohol was the best alternative to dire poverty. It helped feed their families. Prohibition only made the alcohol business more profitable. Illegal alcohol operations ramped up to meet demand from customers who could no longer buy alcoholic beverages legally.

Moonshiners were people who made or smuggled illegal liquors. To deliver illicit alcohol from hidden rural distilleries to cities, they needed runners. And the runners needed rides. Fast ones.

From the outside, nothing about the moonshine cars seemed out of the ordinary. Drivers didn't want to attract attention from law enforcement. So, they used standard "stock" cars—which looked like every other vehicle on the road. But a peek inside and under the hoods would reveal the cars' secrets. Seats and floorboards were removed to make room to carry loads of product. Secret compartments were built in. Mechanical components were modified to offset the added weight and increase the cars' engine speeds.

A modified car could do only so much, though. Skilled drivers were needed behind the wheel. Moonshine runners needed to know the routes well enough to follow them in the dark with no headlights. The runners had to try to outrun police officers in the middle of the night. They often drove at dangerous speeds on mountain roads laden with hairpin turns.

It was risky work. Moonshiners wanted the best drivers moving their illegal products. And the most fearless. This ramped up the drivers' reckless, high-speed antics as well as the competition between them. Some raced each other for bragging rights on makeshift dirt tracks.

Prohibition was repealed with the 21st Amendment in 1933. But illegal alcohol distribution didn't go away. Hefty taxes were placed on alcohol. Many moonshiners didn't want to divide their profits with the government. Also, local laws against alcohol sales remained in some places. There were plenty of customers for their secret operations. Fast drivers, with their modified moonshine cars, were still needed.

By this point, Ford Motor Company had released a game changer. Ford founder Henry Ford strongly opposed the consumption of alcohol. Yet one of his inventions took moonshining operations to new levels. The car company introduced its speedy V-8 engine in 1932. That gave moonshine runners an ideal new vehicle for outrunning the law.

Mechanics tinkered with these engines. They sped up the cars even more for moonshine runners. Some took to adding push-button devices that released smoke, oil slicks, and sharp objects to slow down pursuers during a chase. And, naturally, the competition between drivers continued. They started racing their cars at fairgrounds and racetracks rather than on backcountry roads. Paying crowds, sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands, turned out to cheer drivers showcasing their souped-up stock cars and wild driving skills throughout the 1930s and 1940s.

Then, in 1947, a driver named Bill France gathered a group of top drivers and mechanics for a meeting in Daytona Beach, Florida. The goal was to standardize racing rules for the growing sport. The result was the formation of NASCAR.

What started as an illegal business practice eventually led to a global phenomenon.

Now, pursued only by their competitors, stock car racers hit speeds of up to 200 miles (322 kilometers) per hour on specialized tracks. Racers fuel thrills for millions of fans hailing from all over the world. Top drivers earn millions of dollars. And no moonshine running is required.

Select the letter of the correct answer.

The Article talks mainly about ______.

A. how moonshine runners modified their stock cars to offset added weight and increase speed

B. how moonshine runners drove on mountain roads at dangerous speeds while driving at night

C. how moonshine running during Prohibition required skilled drivers behind the wheel

D. how moonshine running during Prohibition led to the development of stock car racing

Which is the closest synonym for the word laden?    ____

A. sprinkled

B. fresh

C. bursting

D. ruined

According to the Article, how are stock car races in the 1930s and stock car races today different?   ____

A. Races in the 1930s took place on backcountry roads, while races today take place at fairgrounds and racetracks.

B. Races in the 1930s modified cars, while races today use cars that have push-button devices to slow down pursuers.

C. Races in the 1930s took place at fairgrounds and racetracks, while races today take place on specialized tracks.

D. Races in the 1930s used cars that had push-button devices to slow down pursuers, while races today use modified cars.

Which of these is a statement of opinion?   ____

A. While Prohibition was unsuccessful, it did lead to the formation of the world's finest sport.

B. While Prohibition was repealed in 1933, moonshiners continued to sell alcohol illegally.

C. The early stock cars looked like every other car, but their components were modified for speed.

D. The stock cars that are raced today can hit speeds of up to 200 miles (322 kilometers) per hour.

Buy Now, Pay Later  

Creating Connections Social Studies: US History II

For American consumers, the 1920s were good times. Due to advances in technology, manufacturing, and production, American stores were packed with merchandise like phonographs, vacuums, washing machines, radios, and more. But many Americans couldn't afford everything they wanted. Instead, they turned to something called credit.

Credit wasn't invented in the 1920s, historians say, but the bad feeling attached to it faded during those years. Credit also became more widely available. In early American history, people paid for most things with cash. It was okay to borrow money for respectable reasons, like starting a business or buying a farm. But going into debt for less necessary purchases, such as new cowboy boots or better furniture, was considered a moral failing. In the 1920s, this attitude began to change. Buying on credit became much more common.

Credit in the 1920s worked differently than today, mainly because the credit card hadn't been invented yet. At the time, expensive items were purchased using an idea popularized by automaker General Motors. In the GM system, people paid for their cars on installment plans. Rather than paying for the entire car up front, consumers put down a small amount. Then, they drove the car home and, ideally, made the rest of the payments over the course of a year.

GM's rival Henry Ford, who founded the Ford Motor Company, thought the installment plan idea was a disgrace. He felt it forced people into debt to buy a car. Ford devised his own system. In the Ford system, people picked a car. Then, they paid the dealer five dollars or so every week. After the entire amount was paid, the buyer could drive the car home. But this idea was unpopular. It was a monumental failure.

Installment plans, on the other hand, were a big hit. Soon, almost everything became available on credit. Vacuums, stoves, washing machines, typewriters, and more. Businesses wanted to keep people buying. They constantly developed new products. The advertising industry arose to convince people that the radio that just came out sounded much better than the one everyone bought last year.

Installment plans were a great way to get people to buy things. But relying on credit could be risky for consumers. If people lost their jobs and couldn't pay back their loans, the whole thing fell apart. In 1929, the stock market crashed, leading to the Great Depression. Millions of Americans found themselves out of work. They were unable to pay their debts. As a result, consumer goods sat on shelves, losing value. Stores went out of business.

Despite the trauma of the Great Depression, Americans didn't lose their appetite for credit when times improved. In fact, the opposite happened. In the 1950s and 1960s, personal credit cards were invented. Credit cards let people buy anything, anywhere, on credit. Today, financial experts say that nearly 70 percent of Americans use credit cards. The average debt is about $6,000 per person.

Select the letter of the correct answer.

The Article talks mainly bout _______________  

A.   the popularity of purchasing with credit in the 1920s as new products were developed and the advertising industry arose

B.   the popularity of installment plans at GM in the 1920s where consumers could put down a small amount of money and drive a car home

C.   the effects of personal credit card use today, which allows many Americans to buy anything, anywhere on credit

D.  the effects of the Great Depression, which left millions of Americans out of work and unable to pay their debts