audiobook The Great Riots of New York: 1712-1873 by Joel Tyler Headley in History

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. History and the historianBy Rocco DormarunnoThe intriguing thing about histories written long ago is learning about the times of the historians who wrote them. Joel Headley's "The Great Riots of New York: 1712-1873"; published in 1873; tells us as much about the author's world as it does about the times he is examining. Whereas the descriptions of the "Negro Riots"; the "Doctors' Riot"; the "Astor Place Riot"; the "Draft Riots;" and so on; are interesting in their own right; it was Headley's writing and attitudes that grabbed me more. They were so revealing.Headley and his circle believed they lived in an enlightened time but his depictions of class and race are hardly enlightened. Certain equations are repeated:* Irish--drunk; brawling; dull laborers* Germans--peaceful; industrious; keeping to themselves* Black--innocent (meaning uneducated); industrious; victimized but potentially dangerous* Upper and middle class--philanthropic and sensible* Poor--let's no even go thereThis being said; however; Headley's attitude about crowd control and the police are remarkably progressive. He believed that the club was more effective and less destructive than the gun; and that gunfire not only killed the rioters but also provoked further rioting. He believed more in trained; disciplined "riot squads" who would know how to specifically handle disorder than the existing (at the time) last-minute gathering up of untrained volunteers.Headley's writing style is also typical of the period. It is loaded with journalistic grittiness but interwoven with some flighty poeticism. (How he loved to describe bayonets "gleaming in the moonlight" or "shimmering in the sun".) In this regard; Headley's "The Great Riots of New York" is a fascinating document.For further study on the specific riots; I would recommend:For the "Negro Riots"; Jill Lapore's New York Burning: Liberty; Slavery; and Conspiracy in Eighteenth-Century ManhattanFor the "Astor Place Riots"; Nigel Cliff's The Shakespeare Riots: Revenge; Drama; and Death in Nineteenth-Century AmericaFor the Draft Riots; Barnet Schecter's The Devil's Own Work: The Civil War Draft Riots and the Fight to Reconstruct America2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Couldn't Put it DownBy Joey From Da BronxIt may sound like this would be a very dry historical writing; but I found it extremely interesting.I doubt there is another book on this subject out there. Being a New Yorker I read a lot about its history; and found this one hard to put down. It is on my 'read again' list.2 of 4 people found the following review helpful. The Battles of ManhattanBy Acute ObserverThe 'Introduction' by Thomas Rose and James Rodgers notes how the wealthy New Yorkers despised ordinary citizens (p.v). Official historians neglect these conflicts and violence in the streets (p.vii). Joel Tyler Headley's book is one of the few that record the attitudes of the ruling class to the violence of the lower classes. Headley studied to be a religious minister but poor health turned him into a popular writer of history (p.ix). His particular interest was war and conflict. Headley was a Whig and a Know-Nothing party candidate; he was against workingmen and immigrants (p.xvi). Headley assumed the lower classes caused riots rather than riots being the result of their oppression (p.xviii). This books is a facsimile of the 1873 edition. This book shows Headley's skill at writing a very readable book and explains his popularity. He was asked to write a history of the Draft Riots of 1863. He dedicated this book to "The Metropolitan Police". After these chapters there is a Bibliographical Note on "Additional Riots; 1745-1858" Bibliography of Books by Headley. The chapter number and topic follow.2 The Nero Riots of 1712 17413 The Stamp-Act Riot of 17654 Doctors' Riot; 17885 Spring Election Riots of 18346 Abolition Riots of 1834 and 18357 Flour Riot of 18378 Astor-Place Riots; 18499 Police Riot - Dead Rabbits' Riot - Bread Riot (1857)Chapter 10 to 20 have the history of the Draft Riots of July 13-16 186321 Orange Riots of 1870 and 1871The many violent riots in 19th century New York are generally omitted from the history books (like some family embarrassment). Only the Draft Riots of July 1863 get a short mention. There is no mention of the effects of bad economic times; like the Panics of 1837 and 1857. The printing of greenback dollars during the Civil War led to inflation (as it always does). Headley mentions the religious differences that caused some riots (but not those of the early 19th century). The general reader will find this an interesting book about long-concealed events. In the "Astor-Place Riots" there is no mention of any preceding events. Did some newspaper create this anger? [We know what they can do.] In Chapter 10 Headley defends the draft and the exemptions given to the rich who "carry on the business of the country" (p.140). He said the NY merchants and bankers were "warm political friends" of the southern planters and it would be wrong to ask them to fight in such a war (p.141). [Was he being sarcastic?] It was a coincidence that the Draft Riots occurred when Lee's Army invaded Pennsylvania (p.145). [But there was one Confederate plot to burn down New York in 1864.] Instantaneous telegraph communication gave tremendous power to the police command center (p.158). After the fourth day there was a storm and drenching rain that ended the riot (p.259). Headley explains how they calculated the number of dead rioters (p.270). Headley shows why the military must be subordinate to the civil authorities (p.279).