New York City Riots
Author- Adrian Cook, 1974.
Purpose- Cook was, in this instance, introducing new perspective on why the New York City Riots occurred.
Prior Knowledge- A series of riots sprang up in New York in 1863, initiated mostly by factory workers and unskilled laborers. The majority of these were Irish immigrants who ended up mainly attacking blacks and their homes.
Audience- The readers of Cook's 1974 book, The Armies of the Streets: The New York City Draft Riots of 1863.
Reason- Cook felt he needed to challenge the popularized cause of the riots with what he considered to be a more logical explanation.
The Main Idea- The riots of 1863 were a result of economic insecurities and long held racist tendencies in addition to heightened tempers related to the war and draft, rather than the previously-held notion that these riots were almost exclusively caused by the Enrollment Act of 1863.
Significance- The excerpt gives a detailed view into the situation in New York in the 1860's as it related to Irish immigrants and freed blacks. Tensions between these groups would undoubtedly carry into following years and decades.
Purpose- Cook was, in this instance, introducing new perspective on why the New York City Riots occurred.
Prior Knowledge- A series of riots sprang up in New York in 1863, initiated mostly by factory workers and unskilled laborers. The majority of these were Irish immigrants who ended up mainly attacking blacks and their homes.
Audience- The readers of Cook's 1974 book, The Armies of the Streets: The New York City Draft Riots of 1863.
Reason- Cook felt he needed to challenge the popularized cause of the riots with what he considered to be a more logical explanation.
The Main Idea- The riots of 1863 were a result of economic insecurities and long held racist tendencies in addition to heightened tempers related to the war and draft, rather than the previously-held notion that these riots were almost exclusively caused by the Enrollment Act of 1863.
Significance- The excerpt gives a detailed view into the situation in New York in the 1860's as it related to Irish immigrants and freed blacks. Tensions between these groups would undoubtedly carry into following years and decades.