The name " Five Points" evokes images of poverty rampant crime decadence & despair That&s true The Five Points area of New York in the mid-1800s was a lurid geographical cancer filled with dilapidated & unlivable tenement houses gang extortion corrupt politicians dance halls & drunkenness & gambling This was a place where all manner of crime flourished the residents were terrorized & squalor prevailed This is the setting over many decades through the nineteenth century Five Points Gangs of New York is a game of struggle for political control of Manhattan in the mid-19th century As the leader of a powerful political faction you manipulate gangs & influence politicians behind the scenes to seize control Effective use of your resources will gain influence win elections & let you control the destiny of New York; fail & you will be less than a footnote to history Several tools lie at your disposal if you have the strength to acquire & use them Your loyal rabble will execute your will Controlling districts with your rabble could give you access to a limited number of important buildings Tammany Hall Board of Elections 5th Ward Offices & many others Your control of these buildings may provide influence & special powers Bid for control of election-influencing manipulations that may swing the vote In Manhattan your burgeoning political machine may affect politics in America&s great city for over 100 years At the heart of this machine are the gangs of New York who enforce the will of the bosses & determine elections before the first vote is cast