New York City draft riots

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/new-york-city-draft-riots

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the location?Lower Manhattan, New York City
2. What is the dates of riots?July 13-16, 1863
3. Why did the Irish immigrants in New York get angry about the draft?Because the draft law let wealthy men pay $300 to stay home, while ordinary workers had to fight, so they felt it was unfair.
4. How did the riots turn into a race riot?The angry crowds started attacking African American neighborhoods and people, blaming them for jobs and because of racism.

Conscription Act: A federal law mandating military service, which sparked widespread opposition due to its perceived inequities.
Commutation Fee: A payment that allowed men drafted into the Union Army to avoid service.
Racial Scapegoating: Blaming a minority group for societal problems or frustrations, as seen with the targeting of African Americans.
Martial Law: The imposition of direct military control over normal civilian functions of government, especially during a temporary emergency.