The mafia is one of many organized crime groups working in many parts of the world. The most famous one was created in Italy more than 200 years ago. The mafia groups makesl billions of dollars a year from such crimes as making and selling illegal drugs, money laundering, stealing, gambling, and prostitution.
Etymology
The first written use of the word mafia has it being said on a list of rebels against the Catholic Church and meant "boldness, ambition, pride." Since none of those traits was considered to be appropriate for a woman, it became the name of a witch.
Many people also believe that Arabic affected the word mafia during the period of the Arabs' control of Sicily in 846 AD, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Mahias is an Arabic word meaning "bold man" and is believed to be incorporated into the modern term "mafia." It also suggests the bold and arguing nature of its members.
Rules
A boss in the Sicilian mafia had a list of ten rules, which have been called the mafia's Ten Commandments. No one can present himself directly to another of our friends. There must be a third person to do it. Never look at the wives of friends. Never be seen with cops. Don't go to pubs and clubs. Always being ready for Cosa Nostra is a duty - even if your wife's about to give birth. Superiors must absolutely be respected. Wives must be treated with respect. When asked for any information, the answer must be the truth. Money cannot be taken if it belongs to others or other mafia gangs People who can't be part of mafia: anyone who has close family in the police, anyone with a two-timing relative in the family, anyone who behaves badly and doesn't hold to moral values.
Different groups
In Italy
The mafia in Italy has been around for hundreds of years in the areas of Calabria, Sicily, Naples and Apulia, all in southern Italy. Sicily - The mafia in Italy was started in the island of Sicily. The mafia is still around here and they makes a great deal of money. Selling drugs is frowned upon within the Mafia or La Cosa Nostra, as being convicted of the intent of selling can cause a high prison sentence, which increases the risk of a member of the Mafia/Cosa Nostra becoming a "rat," or betraying other members. Calabria - The Calabrian mafia (really called the 'Ndrangheta ) are another mafia group in Italy. It also makes profit from illegal drugs, and is now the richest Italian mafia group. Naples - The mafia in Naples is called the Camorra. It is not as well known than the mafia in Sicily and Calabria but has killed more people, as rival Camorra groups often fight one another. Apulia - The mafia in Apulia is called the Sacra Corona Unita (meaning the "United Sacred Crown"). It is not as old as the other Italian mafia groups. Little is known about this group, but it is believed that it makes money from prostitution. Veneto - The mafia in Veneto was called Mala del Brenta (meaning "Brenta's bad thing"). The group was founded by Felice Maniero but has now been dismantled.
In America
The Italian-American mafia began at the time when many Italians moved to the United States in the 19th century. The first Italian mafia was in New Orleans in Louisiana but soon was in many cities across the country. The Italian mafia in the United States is actually called La Cosa Nostra, which in Italian means "our thing." The American mafia is divided into different groups, or "families." Many large cities have only one Italian-American mafia family, but some larger cities like New York City have more.
New York City has five Italian mafia families: The Bonanno crime family The Colombo crime family The Gambino crime family The Genovese crime family The Lucchese crime family
Many other American cities have Italian mafia families like in Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Los Angeles