: Politicians provided legal protection; gangs provided votes. The Breaking Point: The 1863 Draft Riots
By the late 1800s, the "gangs" evolved. Disorganized street brawling transitioned into the structured hierarchy of , eventually giving rise to the modern American Mafia. subtitle Gangs of New York
: Gangs cleared polling places of rival voters. : Politicians provided legal protection
The 1850s and 1860s in lower Manhattan were defined by a brutal collision of , immigration , and political corruption . While Martin Scorsese’s 2002 film brought this era to the screen, the real history of the Five Points neighborhood was often even more chaotic. The Epicenter: Five Points and underground fighting.
: Gang members voted multiple times under different names.
: Built on gambling, prostitution, and underground fighting.