Gangs of New York History vs. Hollywood Essay -- essays research paper

The pic begins in New York, in 1843, with a gang fight. Bill the notwithstandingcher eludings gang of nativists have challenged the doomed rabbits (a gang of aboutly Irish immigrants) to a fight to settle once and for all who is the close effectual gang in the area. After an intense battle the nativists win by exhausting the leader of the dead rabbits, also Amsterdams (the important characters) father.Amsterdam is then led into an orphanage where he grows to be a man, all while Bill Cutting runs the Five Points, and most of New York. The Five Points is a district of New York City and ostensibly the most corrupt. Crime is all to common, and sickness runs rampant in the area. Although truly underdeveloped, Amsterdam has sworn to revenge his fathers death and kill Bill the Butcher. When Amsterdam leaves he immediately sets his plan in motion. He begins by getting on Cuttings good side, and at last becoming somewhat of an apprentice to the crime lord. During this time Amster dam learns the ways of corruption. To keep above the law Bill Cutting becomes partners with William Tweed, arguably the most corrupt politician of all time. Bill gives Tweed the Irish immigrant vote, and brag Tweed keeps Cutting high and dry.Two subplots develop in the movie also.First, a love story, between Amsterdam and Jenny Everdeane. A magnetic dip by trade Jenny first steals Amsterdams necklace. Because the necklace has more than sentimental value, he tracks her down and gets it back, he also gets the girl.Second, the Draft Riots of 1863. The riots began because of the draft, instated because of the polished War. The public was furious that you could barter for your way out for 300 dollars. too because of the corruption surrounding the draft. It was easy to get sucked into the draft if you were poor or underprivileged and it was easy to get out of the draft if you were wealthy (you could buy your way out for 300 dollars.)In the end Amsterdam reinvents the dead rabbits a nd memorandums a fight with the nativists once again. It just so happens that the day they schedule the fight is the day the Draft Riots begin. The Union Army marches on the city and the Union ... ...citizens, tho one was reported as existence stabbed.The film also shows East Asian people living in the Five Points. The Chinese didnt begin moving to the U.S. until the transcontinental railroad, in the 1890s.Finally, the Union Navy was ported in New York but never open fire a round, as in the movie. Also, the Five Points were not the epicenter of the riots, in fact they were the opposite. William Tweed worked diligently to keep the peace in the area, and only three counts of murder and looting were reported over the four years the riots took place.I can only hope that this movie inspires viewers to coin the actual history. Its extremely interesting stuff. The gangs of the Five Points established the pretending for the alliance of Irishmen, Jews, and Italians who created the mo re commonly known mobs during the 1920s and prohibition. A pass was established between the Dead Rabbits, the Plug Uglies, the Bowery Bhoys that continues straightaway with the Latin Kings, the Crips, and the Bloods. The true tale is a gruesome part of history, but an essential part none the less.