Nativism

Nativism was an anti-immigration movement that favored those descended from the inhabitants of the original thirteen colonies.

Learning Objective

Describe anti-immigrant sentiment in mid-nineteenth century America

Key Points

Nativists believed they were the true "Native" Americans, despite their being descended from immigrants themselves.
In response to the waves of immigration in the mid-nineteenth century, Nativists created political parties and tried to limit the rights of immigrants. One Nativist organization, the "Order of the Star Spangled Banner," became known as the "Know-Nothings."
Much Nativist sentiment was focused on Irish Americans, but German and Chinese immigrants came under attack as well.

Terms

Know-Nothings
A movement by the Nativist American political faction of the 1850s characterized by political xenophobia, anti-Catholic sentiment, and occasional bouts of violence against the groups members opposed.
Order of the Star Spangled Banner
An oath-bound secret society in New York City created in 1849 by Charles Allen to protest the rise of Irish, Roman Catholic, and German immigration into the United States.
American Party
A political party active in Connecticut in the early nineteenth century.

Full Text

Anti-Immigration Sentiments

The large numbers of immigrants that came from dramatically different cultures during the middle of the nineteenth century sparked a number of anti-immigration movements. The largest of these movements was nativism, which took its name from the "Native American" parties. In this context, "native" did not mean indigenous or American Indian, but rather those descended from the inhabitants of the original British thirteen colonies. Nativists objected primarily to Irish Roman Catholics because of their loyalty to the Pope and because of their supposed rejection of the American ideal of republicanism. Nativism's prejudice was not exclusive to Irish Catholics, however: German and Chinese immigrants also came under attack during the second half of the nineteenth century.

As German and Irish immigrants poured into the United States in the decades preceding the Civil War, native-born laborers also found themselves competing for jobs with new arrivals who were more likely to work longer hours for less pay. This job competition resulted in increased hostility toward immigrants; as work became increasingly deskilled, no worker was irreplaceable, and no one’s job was safe.

Nativist outbursts occurred in the Northeast from the 1830s to the 1850s, primarily in response to a surge of Irish Catholic immigration. In 1836, Samuel F.B. Morse ran unsuccessfully for mayor of New York City on a Nativist ticket, receiving only 1,496 votes. Following the Philadelphia Nativist riots in the spring and summer of 1844, the Order of United Americans, a Nativist fraternity, was founded in New York City.

The Know-Nothings

By 1850, Charles B. Allen had founded a Nativist society called the "Order of the Star Spangled Banner" in New York City. In order to join the Order, a man had to be 21 years of age, a Protestant, a believer in God, and willing to obey without question the dictates of the Order. Members became known as the "Know-Nothings" because, if asked in public, they claimed to know nothing about the secret society. The anti-Catholic Know-Nothings wanted to extend the amount of time it took immigrants to become citizens and voters; they also wanted to prevent foreign-born people from ever holding public office.

The Know-Nothings

The Know-Nothing Party's platform included the repeal of all naturalization laws and a prohibition against immigrants holding public office.

The original text of the Know Nothing Party's platform. The text in the image is unreadable.

The American Party

The Nativists went public in 1854 when they formed the American Party, which was especially hostile to the immigration of Irish Catholics and campaigned for laws to require longer wait time between immigration and naturalization. The laws never passed. It was at this time that the term "nativist" first appeared; opponents denounced them as "bigoted nativists." In the 1854 elections, Nativists won control of state governments in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and California. They won elections in Maryland and Kentucky and took 45 percent of the vote in five other states. In 1856, Millard Fillmore was the American Party candidate for president and trumpeted anti-immigrant themes. Nativism caused much splintering in the political landscape

[ edit ]

Prev Concept

German Immigration

Immigrant Labor

Next Concept