Nativism

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Nativism

• Native American Party
• Know Nothings

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The Native American Party

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

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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

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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 groups 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.
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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

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Major streams of 19th Century Immigration

• 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).

  700,000
 
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Irish Immigration
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Irish Immigration

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

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Link With the Past

• According to the 2000 Census about 30 million
  Americans were of Irish Ancestry
• 43 million claimed German ancestry

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Nativist fears were politically, 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.

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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."
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     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.
HISTORYS VOICES
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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.

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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

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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.

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HISTORYS VOICES
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Political Cartoon The Popes Dream

• Illustrates nativist sentiment towards Catholic
  immigrants.
• Catholics are depicted as anti-democratic and
  loyal primarily to the Pope.
• The Popes Dream is to preside over
• A Catholic America that values The Church
  FirstThe Country Afterwards

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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.
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Anti-Chinese Sentiments

• Violence
• Racism
• Political and Economic Discrimination

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Linking the Past and Present

• Students can use the website for the Southern
  Poverty Law Center to research present day
  examples of nativism.
• Interactive U. S. Map Web Address
• www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp

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The Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence
Project counted 844 active hate groups in the
United States in 2006. Only organizations and
their chapters known to be active during 2006 are
included.
Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
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Southern Poverty Law CenterMap-NJ Hate Groups
Hate groups in New Jersey