edHelper.com
The Civil War
(1861-1865)

Draft Law and Riots

Draft Law and Riots
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   high interest, readability grades 4 to 6
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   4.56

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    commissioner, lottery, orphanage, militia, rebellion, federal, entire, actually, easily, attack, anger, jobs, races, volunteer, army, substitute
     content words:    Civil War, New York City, African Americans, New York, York City

Print Draft Law and Riots
edHelper.com subscriber options:
     Print Draft Law and Riots  (font options, pick words for additional puzzles, and more)
     Quickly print reading comprehension
     Print a proofreading activity

Feedback on Draft Law and Riots
     Leave your feedback on Draft Law and Riots  (use this link if you found an error in the story)

Draft Law and Riots
By Cathy Pearl 		  
1     As the Civil War went on, more men were needed to fight for the Union army. It became harder and harder to find these men. Army life was hard. There were many people who didn't want to leave their homes and families behind to fight.
 
2     In 1863, Congress passed a draft law. All able-bodied males between eighteen and thirty-five could be part of the draft.
 
3     The first day of the draft in New York City was fine. The second day, Monday, July 13, 1863, didn't go as well. People in the city were very angry about this draft. They were against a part of the draft that said a man could hire a substitute or pay three hundred dollars to get out of service.
 
4     Immigrants and the poor could not afford to hire someone or pay money not to have to fight in the war. Rich men had no problem with this and paid the money easily. Many felt that it was a war being run by rich men, but the poor men were actually doing the fighting.
 
5     The second day, a riot broke out as names were being drawn from the lottery wheel. Rocks were thrown through windows. The building that the lottery was taking place in was burned.

Paragraphs 6 to 13:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable
Copyright © 2008 edHelper