New York City draft riots

The New York City draft riots of 1863 were violent protests triggered by the Union’s draft law during the Civil War, which conscripted men to fight for the North. Many Irish immigrants, fearing they might be forced to serve while wealthy men could buy exemptions, rioted against the draft and racial emancipation efforts. Over several days, rioters attacked draft offices, Black neighborhoods, and abolitionist buildings, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life. The riots reflected tensions over race, class, and economic inequality amid the chaos of wartime societal change.