Joshua Vannoy
CGI
Dr. van Voorhis and Dr. Mallinson
February 16, 2016
Stampp, Kenneth M. America in 1857: A Nation on the Brink. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1992.
This text by Kenneth Stampp gives a more narrative perspective of New York in
1857 through stories and personal accounts of the dead rabbit riots. The 7th chapter titled
Dog Days looks at the history of New York and what allowed for the Dead Rabbit Riots
to spread like they dead. It first takes a more observational account of Mayor Wood and
the success that he personally had with preventing riots and curbing violence before the
Rabbit Riots, and how a transitional switch in terms of the way the state police operated
shifted and allowed for the riots to exist.
This book also looks at historical accounts of what happened such as the New York
Herald and how it recovered from the riots and was impacted by the violence and public
disturbances that occurred. The Times is also taken into consideration in terms of how it
might have given a negative image to Mayor Wood which allowed for the policies to be
implemented that lead to the Rabbit Riots.
This source will help provide a more living narrative before and after the Rabbit
Riots and the short-term effects that it had in 1857, and individuals who were impacted
by the riots themselves. This source will also help show a more personal story to the riots
themselves and give a more narrative description of the events.
Abury, Herbert. The Gangs of New York. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press, 1928.
This informal history books will be the most useful in terms of providing a more
first hand account and narrative description of the Dead Rabbit Riots, since it gives an
informal view of the riots that occurred it helps provide narratives from individuals who
were alive during the time of the riots, and their encounters with the Brewery gang and
the Five Pointers. This text also has in depth analysis of both gangs and their origins
before the riot even occurred. This text will help provide a context for the history of the
riots themselves and the foundational changes that occurred to the two gangs and how
those changes eventually lead to the riots themselves.
Since this text gives an informal approach to the foundation of both gangs it looks
into narrative descriptions of each gang from the perspective of the police and gang
members themselves and allows for a duel perspective of the initiation rituals of the
gangs and the punishment the members received from the side of the law.
This text will provide background information for both gangs and also give
personal accounts of the foundation of each gang and individuals who were impacted by
the riots themselves, and the political influences that they had after. Since this text
provides an informal context of the gangs themselves it will provide quality information
of the riots and paint a living picture of the events themselves.
Wallace, Mike and Burrows, Edwin G. Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
This large book gives a very in depth analysis of the political policies that lead to
the Dead Rabbit Riots and an extensive detailed account of the days before, during, and
after the riots. This text shows the legislative policies that the Republicans and
democrats both pushed for, and which policies deemed successful and which failed, and
ultimately which policies would lead to the riots coming about. This historical book also
takes into account the racial conflicts that existed between the Irish and anti-Irish
movements that existed during the time, and how the racial policies of immigration lead
to an increased pressure between societies and how they would lead to the riots extending
past what most individuals would assume is a small conflict.
This source also takes into consideration the news aspect of the legal policies
during the time and reports from the Times and the Herald and their perspectives on the
weakened police influence and a more republican implementation of policies and
removal of democratic influences from Mayor Wood. The text also has more personal
accounts of individuals who operated in the state of New York during the riots, and their
accounts of the shift in policies that lead to the form of chaos that came about during the
two-day riot. They look to Mayor Wood bolstering his position on a separate Municipal
Police force and how he created two police departments that ultimately lead to the
conflicts coming about.
This historical text will be useful in terms of the more logistical approach it gives
to the riots that came about, looking at the policies and raw number of individuals
involved in and affected by the riots themselves. Also providing background context to
the logistical side of the policies being implemented will give a more full picture of what
was happening behind the scenes that caused the riots to come about.