The Origins of the Mafia

First of all, the mafia was actually formed to proctect Italy, and Sicily from the Arabic invaders. They were an underground (hints the word Underworld) organization that followed the ancient sicilian law of, omerta, a law that stated if they were caught they would say nothing. Those who broke omerta were killed. After the punic wars, the mafia laid in rest until it rose again, this time in illegal activities. In Italy the mafia is like the police for the smaller villages, they helped those who could not go to the police. When the mafia came to America it smuggled alcohol and drugs to there territories. Some families emerged themselves In prostitution. Almost all the mafia families were into gambling. When Prohibition came along, intending to stop the mafia, actually made it stronger. Now in 2008 we here less and less about the mafia.