Nativism

1. Nativism • Native American Party • Know Nothings

2. The Native American Party • AKA The Know Nothing Party • Anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic groups formed in the 1840’s in response to increased immigration from Ireland and Germany.

3. Order of the Star Spangled Banner • Formed in 1850 • Becomes Native American Party in 1851 • Supported WASP male dominance • Thrived on secrecy, thus the nickname “Know Nothings”

4. The Know-Nothings Anti-immigrant sentiment was promoted by well-funded and well-organized social and political groups. One such group was a secret fraternal organization called the Know-Nothings. The group earned its name because its members, when asked about their group’s activities, answered by saying, “I know nothing.”       The Know-Nothings reorganized themselves into a political party. The American Party would boast of more than 1 million members by the 1850s. They achieved remarkable political success in a short time, claiming more than 40 congressional seats.

6. Major Streams of 19th Century Immigration: • Population in 1820: 9.6 million, mostly English and Protestant • Approximate Totals 1812-1920: • 30 million from Europe • 700,000 from Asia • 900,000 from Latin America

7. Major streams of 19th Century Immigration: 700,000 • 19th Century Immigration: • Almost 2 million African American slaves in US by 1820. • Between 75,000 and 100,000 citizens of Mexican provinces of CA, TX, NM, AZ made Americans by conquest in 1848. • About 2.5 million Irish between 1810 and 1855 • Over 3 million Germans immigrated between 1820 and 1880 • 300,000 Chinese immigrated between 1848 and 1882 (Chinese Exclusion Act). •

8. Irish Immigration

10. Irish Immigration • Desperate, hungry immigrants suffered the nightmares of the crossing to America. • So many died that the ships became known as “coffin ships”.

11. Link With the Past • According to the 2000 Census about 30 million Americans were of Irish Ancestry • 43 million claimed German ancestry

16. Nativist fears werepolitically, economically and culturally motivated. Anti-Irish attitudes: • Race: portrayed as non-white, monkey-like. • Work: Irish lazy, manual laborers, poor. • Religion: Catholicism is a foreign religion. • Violence: Irish are inherently violent savage, troublemakers. • Politics: loyal to Pope over President, links to monarchy threaten American freedom.

20. NO IRISH NEED APPLY I'm a decent boy just landed From the town of Ballyfad; I want a situation, yes, And want it very bad. I have seen employment advertised, "It's just the thing," says I, "But the dirty spalpeen ended with 'No Irish Need Apply.' " "Whoa," says I, "that's an insult, But to get the place I'll try," So I went to see the blackguard With his "No Irish Need Apply." Some do count it a misfortune To be christened Pat or Dan, But to me it is an honor To be born an Irishman. I started out to find the house, I got it mighty soon; There I found the old chap seated, He was reading the Tribune. I told him what I came for, When he in a rage did fly, "No!" he says, "You are a Paddy, And no Irish need apply."

21. The American Party even ran a presidential candidate in 1856 (Millard Fillmore). Eventually disagreements over slavery and related political issues fractured the party, and it ceased to exist by the time of the Civil War. HISTORY’S VOICES

23. American Nativist Party Platform • (1) Extend the period of naturalization to 21 years. • (2) Elect only native born to all offices. • (3) Reject foreign interference in all institutions, social, religious, and political.

24. Hostility Toward the IrishWhy? • More than 1.3 mill Irish came between 1846-1855. • Out of a population of about 24 million this was considered a threat to their way of life. • Resented because of their poverty and seen as a threat to American workers. • Religion

25. Religious Discrimnation • Most Irish immigrants were Roman Catholics and the U.S. was predominantly Protestant. • Some believed that Catholicism was at odds with the principles of democracy.

26. HISTORY’S VOICES

27. Political Cartoon: The Pope’s Dream • Illustrates nativist sentiment towards Catholic immigrants. • Catholics are depicted as anti-democratic and loyal primarily to the Pope. • The “Pope’s Dream” is to preside over “A Catholic America” that values “The Church First—The Country Afterwards”

35. German Immigrants Faced A different Experience Nearly as many Germans as Irish immigrated to the United States in the mid-1800s. Fortunately for the Germans, they did not encounter the same hostility that greeted Irish immigrants. Whereas most Irish immigrants were poor and Catholic, most German immigrants were middle class and Protestant.      German immigrants spread across the country. They could afford to travel far inland, seeking free or cheap land, reunions with relatives, or other opportunities in the heartland. Many settled in the Midwest, but large German immigrant communities could be found from New York to Texas. German immigrants worked as farmers, artisans, factory workers, and in other occupations.

38. Anti-Chinese Sentiments • Violence • Racism • Political and Economic Discrimination

44. Philadelphia Nativist Riots May 1844 • Was a reaction to influx of Irish immigrants. • Between 1820 and 1865 over 80,000 Irish migrated to Philadelphia. • Tensions started over the issue of religion in public schools.

45. Protestant majority controlled actions of school system • Protestant concepts were in direct conflict with the teachings of the Catholic church. • After many attempts Catholics won non-denominational schooling in the Phila. • Protestant groups objected and took their objections to the streets. • Catholics later withdraw from public schools to form private Catholic schools.

47. Results of the Riots • Significant property damage. • Churches and convents were burned. • Homes were broken into and burned, Irish families beaten. • Area of focus was “Irish” Kensington and Southwark. • Many were injured, some fatally wounded.

48. Martial law was enforced for a week • Sheriff and deputies were w/o guns and were ineffective. • Militia general and his troops were fired upon. • Nativists later said the general favored immigrants and trampled on the rights of native Americans