Five Points Area

YourFirstName YourLastNameInstructor's NameCourse Title22 June 2014
FIVE POINTS AREA
Five points area is a slum in Manhattan in the city of New York. This place is the first identified slum in New York. Research has established the challenges that residents of this area face through their day to day livelihoods. The name of the slum was derived from the five pointed intersection created by the orange and cross streets. This slum was famous for being disease ridden and full of all kinds of crimes. This slum has existed for over seventy years. It is probably one of the biggest slums worldwide. This research paper discusses the coexistence of the residents in the five point area. It also gives an insight of the challenges faced by both the residents and the government in trying to develop and improve the area. Lastly this paper compares the five point area in historical times and its current situation.
The reader may not see the reasons as to why the writer decided to use this title. The writer considered the following issues while choosing the above title. During the time in history residents of lower Manhattan were considered to be riffraff. This is probably because five points was the first real slum. As such everyone gets curious to know how residents survive with such harsh conditions surrounding them. Another pressing issue that led to selection of this title is the increase in media focus at the time. This increases people’s interests to ascertain what was going on in the most feared ghetto. The writer analyzed these issues and decided to choose the title ‘life in the five point neighborhood in the united states.'
There were several issues during the time in history that conflicted to today’s beliefs. They will be discussed at length below with the respect to the third question of research. Over 100 years ago the lower Manhattan had a lake known as the collect. People would gather around the lake to have some fun. They would skate and do other activities such as fishing. The lake occupied about five acres of land in the lower Manhattan. Researchers have observed that it is a trend in America that if they see trash they add more unto it. Therefore by the 1700’s slaughterhouses and other industries had set foot into the territory. Emissions from these filthy businesses went directly into the lake. It no longer was just a recreational site. It became more of an environmental hazardous site. By the 1800s, more of these businesses were established (Mauck pp13). More settlements had occurred. Therefore, the five points area was formed. It was the first slum in the United States to be realized. This area became the first urban ghetto. It fixes the idea of the poor people being associated with criminals. As discussed above the name, five points was formed from the five intersections surrounding the Manhattan. According to Tyler Anbinder through his published works in the 1990s, he identified the five intersections surrounding the area. He also stated that it is one of the most important works in history of the American society.
Currently, the five point area is what is known as the little Italy, china town and monolithic courthouses that seem to be the sole anchor of Manhattan town. The place is famous for harboring the freed slaves, Chinese immigrants and all the ‘’poor’’ in the society. No place has ever broken the record that the five points area holds. It has been the home for poorest people in the American society for over seventy years (Mauck pp24). This is something that no other area has been able to achieve over the ages. This slum is very famous for notorious acts in America. It was noted to be the highest crime infested area. It also is famous for being disease ridden. Most of the deaths experienced by the residents are not by natural occurrence but are, as a result, of preventable and curable diseases. Due to negligence these diseases are not treated at the correct time, therefore, the deaths occur. At times, the residents cannot afford the charges for hospital bills. Being poor was another factor that limited the residents from fully exploiting their capabilities.
The place has a reputation of hosting the ‘poorest’ in the society. In other words, this is to say that it is a loathed place in the United States. Residents of this area are often associated with social evils and injustices. During the 1830s, the area received much popularity. The media retold of the tales of murder cases, sex licenses and all the social evils occurring in the place. This thrilled the rest of the citizens (Mauck pp34). Tourists began to make regular trips down to the area to confirm what they had been reading and hearing about the area. Famous public figures such as Abraham Lincoln made regular trips down to the area. The main agenda was to try and improve the conditions of living at the place. Crime rate reduction was also among the many agendas to be accomplished by the visits. Considering that racism was at its peak during the time, the area got many critics. Most of the residents were people of color. Everything happening in the area was associated by the accusation of the people of color being stereotypes.
There have been harsh realities about the five points area with regards to the question concerning conflicts during the time in history. First of all the area was a host of plagues such as cholera and bilharzias. These plagues are usually waterborne. Due to the many industries established in the area, water tends to get polluted by the industry emissions. Polluted water acts as a host of snails that carry the deadly diseases of cholera and bilharzias. This may be passed across to the residents when they use unsanitized water. Secondly, cases of prostitution and drug abuse were always on the top of the statistical table. Due to the discrimination at workplaces, people resorted into other means of getting money. These other means included prostitution and selling of drugs (Beaudry and Jim pg123). Females were introduced into prostitutio...