The New York Draft Riots of 1863 were a series of violent disturbances in response to the Conscription Act, a national draft law enacted during the American Civil War. Starting in July in New York City, the riots were initially a protest against compulsory military service but quickly devolved into broader chaos. The violence targeted law enforcement and African American residents, resulting in numerous casualties and widespread property damage. Federal troops eventually quelled the unrest, which underscored the era's deep social and economic divisions.