ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Five Points Gang

Okay, so imagine there was a group of people who lived in New York City a long time ago, and they called themselves the Five Points Gang. They were a group of people who sometimes did bad things, like stealing or fighting with other groups.

The reason they were called the Five Points Gang is because they lived in an area in the city called the Five Points neighborhood. This neighborhood was known for being pretty rough and dangerous.

The Five Points Gang started in the late 1800s and lasted until the early 1900s. They were one of the most famous gangs in New York City at that time.

The members of the Five Points Gang had different jobs, but some of them made their money by doing illegal things, like gambling or selling alcohol that was banned. They were also involved in things like extortion, which means they would make other people pay them money in exchange for "protection."

The Five Points Gang had a lot of influence in the neighborhood, and they even had political connections. That means they were able to get people in power to do things they wanted, even if it wasn't really fair or legal.

Overall, the Five Points Gang was a group of people who did some bad things, but they were also a big part of New York City's history.