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Timeline
Riot, Reaction and Reform:
Class Conflict, Crisis and Civic Improvement in New York
1795
State appropriates funds to support public education
1809
Free School Society (later Pubilc School Society) formed by two Quaker businessmen and members of the merchant elite- DeWitt Clinton first president
1811
Collect Pond filled to create what would become the "Five Points"
1820
City population is 120,000; 10% foreign born
1828
Slavery abolished by the State (gradual abolition since 1799)
1829
Founding of the Working Man's Party.
See The Working Men's Declaration of Independence
1830
City population is 200,000; foreign born population is 18,000 or 9%
1832
Cholera epidemic
1833
First buidling built as a tenement
1835
Great Fire
1837
Old Brewery becomes a tenement
1839
John Hughes becomes Archbishop of New York
1840
City population is 300,000; 30% foreign born
1841
New York Public School Society opposes New York Bishop John Hughes in his fight to divide public funds for "Public" and Catholic schools. Hughes and representatives of the Public School Society face off at a Board of Alderman hearing. The Board votes in favor of the Public School Society. The debate moves to the State Senate.
1842
After a Democratic landslide in State elections, the Maclay Bill abolishes the private Public School Society (on the grounds that the values upon which it was based were not "common values" and therefore the schools did not merit public financing), unifying schools under a new elected school board, prohibiting sectarian teachings but allowing local schools to select own books; this bill turned the control of schools over to local community districts (ward-trustee system) under the general supervision of a weak City Board of Education, and caused an increased fear of growing Catholic influence in schools
1843
American Republican Party founded in New York
1844
Republican James Harper elected Mayor on "nativist" platform
1845
Opening of the Croton Water sytem
1845-57
New York Police Department under City control- "Municipals" or "Coppers"
1848
Ladies Home Mission Society establishes a mission in the Five Points. Moves into Old Brewery in 1852
1849
The Astor Place Riot
See MCNY Exhibit on the Astor Place Riots
Cholera epidemic
1853
The Temperance Riots
See ASHP Five Points Video Viewing Guide
1855
Over 50% of City population is foreign born; over 50% of foreign born are Irish; Irish constitute 28% of population; Germans 16%
1856-66
Anthony Street widened and extended to demolish the Five Points. All street names in the area changed
1857-70
Metropolitan Police Department under State control
1857
The Great New York Police Riot
See The History of the NY Police Department- The Great NY Police Riot
Cholera epidemic
1863
The Draft Riots
1865
Professional fire department created
1866
Cholera epidemic
1870
Municipal Police under City control
1878
Felix Adler's Ethical Culture Society founds the Workingmen's School
1879
Tenement Law ("Old Law") produces "dumbbell tenement"
1890
New York population is 1.5 million; 43% foreign born; 80%v foreign born or of foreign born parentage
Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives
1892
Columbia Professor (later president) founds Teachers College and calls for the professionalization of teaching and school administration to combat the corruption of the ward-trustee system
1894
Lexow Committee reveals extent of Tammany corruption, fueling calls for city reform
Clearance of Mulberry Bend for Mulberry Park. Becomes Columbus Park in 1896
1896
Education Reform Bill passes Sate legislature, centralizing control of schools under a Board of Superintendents comprised of twenty professional civil servants
1901
Tenement House Act ("New Law") ends construction of tenements- 70% maximum lot coverage; light requirements; one bathroom per 20 people
1968
Ocean Hill-Brownsville taechers' Strike
1969
State passes law decentralizing New York City schools into 30 school districts with local election of community school boards