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History of the Mafia

Table of contents
1 Early Period
2 The Five Families Era
3 FBI Investigations

Early Period

Origins

The
Sicilian Mafia originated hundreds of years ago as a kind of protection society during the Spanish occupation of Sicily. The locals felt they could not trust the Spanish law-enforcement officials, and so formed their own protection societies, which later developed into the mafia.

"Mafia" was the name of a specific society in Sicily. Several similar organizations developed in parallel to the Mafia on mainland Italy, such as Ndrangheta in Calabria, Sacra corona unita in Apulia, and Camorra in Naples. See List of Mafia-like organizations.

Activities in Sicily

Immigration to the United States

Sicilian immigrants brought the Mafia with them to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century waves of migration. Newly arrived Italian immigrants often spoke no English and settled in the same districts of American cities as other Italians. Many Americans were suspicious and mistrustful of recent immigrants, especially those with a limited command of English. Some Italians felt that they could not rely on the often corrupt and prejudiced local law-enforcement officials for protection, and turned to the mafiosi instead.

The Moustache Petes

The Castellemmarese War

The Castellemmarese War (1928-1931), so called because many of the main participants were originally from Castellemmare del Gulfo in Sicily, resulted when powerful Sicilian Mafioso Don Vito Cascio Ferro sent men to America with the mission of seizing control of the American Mafia, then known as "The Black Hand", from the established "mainlanders". Salvatore Maranzano (TODO: merge that article with Sal Maranzano), perhaps the only university-educated Mafioso, met with Joseph Bonanno, Joseph Profaci, and Stefano Magaddino, all from Castellemmare del Gulfo, met in New York and aligned themselves against the powerful Joe "The Boss" Masseria.

Recognizing the danger, Masseria began a war against the Maranzano faction in 1928. But Masseria was growing old and unable to effectively run his family. Lucky Luciano, Masseria's top lieutenant, was recruited by Maranzano, but he refused to join and was severely beaten.

Luciano later reconciled with Maranzano, and the two had Masseria killed. Don Ferro had been arrested by Benito Mussolini's regime in 1929. Maranzano thus became the only "capo di tutti capi", or "boss of all the bosses", in the history of the Mafia.

Maranzano called a meeting of powerful Mafia figures. He appointed five underbosses, whose organizations would later develop into the Five Families of the Commission, headed by Joseph Bonanno, Tom Gagliano, Lucky Luciano, Phil and Vincent Mangano, and Joseph Profaci. Unapproved killings of made men were abolished, and discussion of the Mafia with anyone not involved was forbidden under penalty of death.

Not even six months later, Maranzano grew suspicious of his underbosses and made a list of them and other top capos, to be assassinated. Before he could carry out his plans, though, Luciano received word of his own impending assassination, and had Maranzano killed in his office. Simultaneous executions of other Maranzano supporters occured around the country.

The Five Families Era

Luciano renounced the title of "capo di tutti capi". He said there should be no "boss of bosses", but that ultimate power should reside in The Commission, the heads of the Five Families.

Las Vegas

FBI Investigations