In 1863, in the midst of the American Civil War, Congress passed a conscription law making all men between 20 and 45 years of age liable for military service. On July 13, the government's attempt to enforce the draft in New York City ignited the most destructive civil disturbance in the city's history.
More to Explore
People and Groups
Themes
Related Topics
This Day in History
May 21
Civil War
The Siege of Port Hudson begins, 1863
Nathaniel Banks, commander of the Union Department of the Gulf, surrounds the Confederate stronghold at Port Hudson, Louisiana, and attacks.…
Recommended Articles
-
American Civil War
The American Civil War, fueled by the debate over slavery and states' rights, pitted North against South in the costliest conflict fought on U.S. soil.
-
New York City
Home to over 8 million people, New York is the most populous city in the United States.
-
Battle of Gettysburg
In July 1863, Union and Confederate forces clashed at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War.
-
The Irish Brigade
During the Civil War, many Irish and Irish-Americans fought with the Union Army, often serving in all-Irish regiments known as the “Irish Brigade.â€
Did You Know?
Many of the U.S. Army regiments that restored order to New York City arrived directly from Pennsylvania, where they had recently fought in the Battle of Gettysburg.
Rioters torched government buildings and, on July 15, fought pitched battles with troops. Conservative contemporary commentators, concerned about an anti-Union plot, claimed that 1,155 people were killed. In fact, about 300, over half of them policemen and soldiers, were injured, and there were no more than 119 fatalities, most of them rioters.
A majority of the rioters were Irish, living in pestilential misery. The spark that ignited their grievances and those of other workingmen and women was the provision in the law that conscription could be avoided by payment of three hundred dollars, an enormous sum only the rich could afford. In a context of wartime inflation, black competition for jobs, and race prejudice among working people, particularly the Irish, New York's blacks were chosen as scapegoats for long-accumulated grievances. Many innocent blacks were slain and their homes sacked. A Colored Orphan Asylum was razed. In this intersection of ethnic diversity, class antagonism, and racism lay the origins of the draft riots.
The Reader's Companion to American History. Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, Editors. Copyright © 1991 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!
Related Shows
-
America The Story of Us
America The Story of Us is an epic 12-hour television event that tells the extraordinary story of how America was invented.
Shop HISTORY
-
-
Civil War: Rebellion to Reconstruction DVD Set
Experience the turbulent events that ignited the bloodiest, most divisive war this country has known.
$53.99
Buy Now -
Swamp People Troy Mask
Want the ultimate Big Head? The Swamp People Troy Mask is for Cajuns and Cajuns at heart.
$44.99
Buy Now
Email Updates
Keep up with the latest History shows, online features, special offers and more.
Sign upClassroom Study Guides
-
Hatfields & McCoys Study Guide (PDF)
The Hatfields and the McCoys. Their names evoke images of a bitter feud between two American families. But many people may be unfamiliar with the story behind this legendary conflict.
-
Vietnam in HD Teacher's Guide (PDF)
Classroom companion for the new HISTORY series Vietnam in HD.
