Know Nothing

Know Nothing. The Know Nothing movement, formally known as the American Party, was a prominent nativist political entity in the United States during the mid-1850s. It emerged from secret fraternal societies, most notably the Order of the Star Spangled Banner, and experienced a meteoric rise fueled by anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic sentiment. The movement briefly became a major political force, electing numerous officials and influencing national debates before fracturing over the issue of slavery and collapsing on the eve of the American Civil War.

Origins and background

The movement arose in the early 1840s from widespread anxiety among native-born Protestant Americans, particularly in urban areas of the Northeastern United States. This period saw massive German and Irish Catholic immigration following the Great Famine and the Revolutions of 1848. Secret societies like the Order of United Americans and the Order of the Star Spangled Banner formed, requiring members to profess Protestantism and renounce foreign allegiances. When questioned about their activities, members would famously reply "I know nothing," giving the movement its common nickname. The collapse of the Whig Party after the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 created a political vacuum that the Know Nothings rapidly filled.

Political activities and influence

The Know Nothings achieved significant electoral success in 1854 and 1855, capitalizing on the disintegration of the Second Party System. They gained control of the Massachusetts General Court, elected Nathaniel P. Banks as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and won governorships in states including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and California. The party performed strongly in local elections in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City, and sent a sizable bloc to the 34th United States Congress. At their peak, the movement claimed over 100 members of Congress and influenced the 1856 presidential election by nominating former President Millard Fillmore as their candidate.

Ideology and platform

The core ideology was a militant form of nativism and anti-Catholicism, driven by fears that papal influence and immigrant voters were undermining American republicanism. Their platform advocated for severe restrictions on immigration, particularly from Catholic countries, and supported extending the naturalization period for citizenship from 5 to 21 years. They sought to ban foreign-born and Catholic individuals from holding any public office. While initially attempting to sideline the slavery issue to maintain a national coalition, the party's platform also promoted temperance and government reform, positioning itself as a defender of traditional Protestant values and civic purity.

Decline and legacy

The movement's decline was swift, precipitated by its internal division over the Kansas–Nebraska Act and the escalating national crisis over slavery in territories like Kansas. The 1856 election defeat of Millard Fillmore marked a turning point, as the emerging Republican Party, led by figures like Abraham Lincoln, began to absorb anti-slavery Know Nothings. The Dred Scott decision in 1857 further polarized the nation around slavery, rendering the nativist platform less compelling. By 1860, the party had effectively dissolved, with most of its members joining either the Republicans or the Constitutional Union Party. Its legacy is seen in later nativist movements such as the American Protective Association and the Ku Klux Klan.

Notable members and leaders

Key figures included former President Millard Fillmore, the party's 1856 presidential nominee. Nathaniel P. Banks, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, was a prominent Know Nothing congressman from Massachusetts. Henry Wilson, a United States Senator from Massachusetts and future Vice President under Ulysses S. Grant, was initially affiliated with the movement. Other notable leaders included Lewis Charles Levin, a Congressman from Pennsylvania and virulent anti-Catholic editor, and Thomas R. Whitney, a New York congressman. Several state-level politicians, such as Governors Henry J. Gardner of Massachusetts and William H. Bissell of Illinois, were also elected under the Know Nothing banner.

Category:Political history of the United States