New York Draft Riots
Uprisings during the Civil War (1863), mostly of working-class Irish-Americans, in protest of the draft. Rioters were particularly incensed by the ability of the rich to hire substitutes or purchase exemptions.
The New York Draft Riots were a series of violent disturbances that occurred in New York City between July 13 and July 16, 1863. The riots were sparked by the Civil War draft, which required men between the ages of 18 and 45 to register for military service. The draft was very unpopular, particularly among working-class and immigrant communities, who resented being forced to fight in a war that many did not support.
The riots began when a group of protesters gathered outside the draft office in Manhattan and began attacking government officials and African American men who were waiting in line to register for the draft. The violence quickly spread to other parts of the city, with mobs of predominantly white working-class men looting stores, burning buildings, and attacking black residents throughout Manhattan.
The riots represented a violent expression of the deep social, economic, and political tensions that pervaded New York City in the mid-19th century. They were fueled by a complex set of factors, including resentment of the draft, class and ethnic tensions, and widespread economic distress. Although the riots were eventually put down by the military, they left a lasting impact on the city, contributing to ongoing issues of racial and economic inequality that persist to this day.
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