Low-paid New York workers rioted against the Union draft in 1863 because it was unfair to them. Why did this riot happen?

The Union’s 1863 draft law allowed a drafted man to avoid service by paying $300 or hiring a substitute. That option favored people who could afford it, while low-paid workers were less able to escape the draft. So the riot happened in part because wealthy people could pay their way out of service.

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