The video is about the rise of Lucky Luciano, a mobster in New York during the Prohibition era. He was part of the largest Italian gang, Borgata, headed by Giuseppe Masseria. Unlike traditionalist bosses, Luciano was more Americanized and wanted to make money through various ventures like labor racketeering, gambling, and prostitution. However, Masseria dismissed his ideas and was too focused on becoming the boss of bosses. This led to a mob war between Borgata and another Italian gang headed by Salvatore Maranzano, resulting in the death of many people. To end the war, Luciano made a deal with Maranzano to kill Masseria and recognize him as an equal in running the family. After succeeding, Maranzano declared himself as the boss of all bosses and forced a chain of command in the Mafia, which Luciano saw as power-hungry and backwards thinking. Eventually, Luciano created the Commission, a National Board of Directors, to organize the Mafia and avoid future conflicts, making it the most powerful criminal organization in the US.
Vocabulary List (Content Related):
| Vocabulary Word | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Prohibition | A law or period of time during which something (such as alcohol) is not allowed to be sold or used. | During Prohibition, it was illegal to sell or drink alcohol. |
| Mobster | A member of a organized group of criminals, especially a member of the Mafia. | The mobster was arrested for racketeering and extortion. |
| Racketeering | The practice of operating an illegal business or obtaining money by force or threats. | The mobster was accused of racketeering and extortion. |
| Equanimity | The quality of being calm and even-tempered, especially in difficult situations. | Despite the chaos, he was able to maintain his equanimity and make smart decisions. |
| Venture | A new business or activity, especially one that is risky or uncertain. | They invested in several new ventures, including real estate and technology. |
| Ego | A person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance. | His huge ego made it difficult for him to work with others. |
| Psychopath | A person who has no sense of right and wrong and is unable to feel empathy or guilt. | The serial killer was a psychopath who felt no remorse for his actions. |
| Underboss | The second-in-command of a Mafia family or group. | The underboss was responsible for handling the family’s operations. |
| Omertà | A code of silence or secrecy that is followed by members of the Mafia. | He refused to break the code of omertà and reveal the names of his accomplices. |
| Cartel | A group of businesses or countries that work together to control prices or production in an industry. | The oil cartel was able to maintain high prices by limiting production. |
Key Points:
- The Prohibition era in New York was a time of lawlessness and chaos in the criminal underworld.
- Lucky Luciano was an up-and-coming mobster in the largest Italian gang, headed by Giuseppe Masseria.
- Luciano was more Americanized and wanted to make money and live the American dream, regardless of nationality or religion.
- Luciano created the Commission, a National Board of Directors or supreme court for the Mafia, to organize the gangs and avoid future conflicts.
- The creation of the Commission was a revolutionary idea that helped the Mafia become the most powerful criminal organization in the US.
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Vocabulary Quiz
Choose the correct answer for each question:
1. What does “archaic” mean in the context of the video?
a) Old-fashioned
b) Modern
c) Traditional
d) Progressive
2. What is the meaning of “equanimity” in the video?
a) Emotional stability
b) Aggressive behavior
c) Panic attack
d) Anxiety disorder
3. What does “plunder” mean in the context of the video?
a) To steal or take goods by force
b) To give away goods for free
c) To trade goods fairly
d) To buy goods at a low price
4. What is the meaning of “incorruptible” in the video?
a) Can be bribed easily
b) Cannot be bribed or corrupted
c) Is corrupt by nature
d) Is sometimes corrupt
5. What does “racketeer” mean in the context of the video?
a) A person who commits crimes for personal gain
b) A person who is innocent and law-abiding
c) A person who is a victim of crime
d) A person who is a police officer
Answer Key
1. a) Old-fashioned
2. a) Emotional stability
3. a) To steal or take goods by force
4. b) Cannot be bribed or corrupted
5. a) A person who commits crimes for personal gain
Grammar
The grammar point for this exercise is the use of the past perfect continuous tense to describe an action that started before another action in the past and continued up to that time.
For example, in the text, it is stated that “Maranzano had been experiencing some tax troubles in his import-export business fronts…” This sentence uses the past perfect continuous tense to show that Maranzano’s tax troubles started before the time of the story and continued up to that point.
Here are five multiple-choice questions to practice the use of the past perfect continuous tense:
1. By the time I arrived, they ____________________ (wait) for over an hour.
A) had waited
B) had been waiting
C) wait
D) were waiting
2. If I ____________________ (not spend) so much money on that new video game, I would have enough money to go on a trip.
A) had not spent
B) had not been spending
C) did not spend
D) was not spending
3. By the time I graduated, I ____________________ (study) English for five years.
A) had studied
B) had been studying
C) studied
D) was studying
4. My parents ____________________ (never let) me stay out past midnight when I was in high school.
A) had never let
B) had never been letting
C) never let
D) were never letting
5. If it ____________________ (rain) all day, we would have gone to the beach.
A) had rained
B) had been raining
C) rained
D) was raining
Answer key:
1. B) had been waiting
2. B) had not been spending
3. B) had been studying
4. A) had never let
5. B) had been raining
