Part 2/10:
The origins of organized crime in America can be traced back to the 18th century in Sicily. Overrun by various foreign rulers, the Sicilian people grew weary of constant oppression. In response, they formed tight-knit groups, gradually evolving into private militias that exerted power to extract money from landowners. These “families,” with their own codes and methods of enforcing justice, were the foundation of what would become the Mafia.