New York Gangs

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Gangs of New York The movie directed by Martin Scorsese, “Gangs of New York (2002)”, stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Liam Neeson, and Cameron Diaz; all contributed to the story of Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio); a young Irish immigrant living in New York during the 1860’s. The plot emphasized the rivalry of two gangs: the “Dead Rabbits” a gang of Irish immigrants led by Priest Vallon (Liam Neeson) and the gang of natives and an anti-Irish immigrants “Bowery Boys” led by William “Bill the Butcher” Cuttings (Daniel Day-Lewis). The film built the conflict on its first scene; the gang battle of Dead Rabbits and Bowery Boys, on which Priest Vallon fell into the hands of Bill the Butcher. Amsterdam, upon seeing his father, Priest The five points neighborhood named after the five pointed intersection: Orange Street, Cross street, Anthony Street, Mulberry Street, and Little Street (Gomer 1); was populated by freed black slaves and large groups of immigrants from Europe that were mostly Irish. The increased arrival of Irish immigrants in New York is caused by potato famine at Ireland in 1840’s. Thus, the Irish that migrated to New York were mostly poverty-stricken, forcing them to move in five points (Proehl 1). The neighborhood were infested by numerous gang violence and crimes incorporated by thieves, street thugs, and hustlers. A person that live in the area is in constant threat of being murdered or robbed; It also had numerous gang hangouts including the “Bottle Alley” and the Bandit’s Roost. Two of the famous notorious gangs are the “Dead Rabbits”, an Irish street gang and the “Bowery Boys” a nativist and anti-Irish gang led by William Poole or famously known as “Bill the Butcher”. This two gangs have a history of large scale riot when the Dead Rabbits raided and demolished the Bowery Boys’ headquarter in 1857. The peace were restored by the “New York State Militia” and the estimated casualties for the Dead Rabbits were eight and 100 injuries (ReelRundown 1); This part of New York history reveals the hatred towards the Irish Immigrants seeing them as a threat for job opportunities to Americans. Hence, WIlliam Poole hated Irish immigrants when most of the butchering licenses were given to many

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