rise and demise of the know-nothings

Question 1

rise of the know-nothings

Answer 1

The Know-Nothings won a lot of support from the North because they were able to exploit both the anti-slavery and Nativist issue. Know-Nothing members pledged to vote for no one except native-born Protestants.

The Know-Nothings platform: checks on immigration, legislation preventing the dumping of European criminals in the USA, strict laws on restricting office holding to native-born citizens and a 21 year probationary period before immigrants could become naturalised American citizens and thus vote.

Some Northerners joined the Know-Nothings because they resented the Democrats because of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

By 1854, the Know-Nothings had over 1 million members and began to real political support.

Question 2

decline - anti-kansas nebraska

Answer 2

Know-Nothings began to gain support from Southerners who resented the Democrats as they were determined to preserve the Union. In turn, their party started to decline. When the party dropped its anti-Kansas-Nebraska, to appeal to the South, stance they lost Northern support.

Question 3

decline - decline in immigration leading to reduce in nativism

Answer 3

They also lost support when immigration started to decline in the mid 1850s, it fell to under half the level it had been in the early 1850s. This led to a decline in Nativism.

Some felt as though they had bullied immigrants out of the country.

Question 4

decline - nature

Answer 4

Many disliked the secretive nature of the party

Question 5

decline - split

Answer 5

The know-nothings were split between the North and South, meaning that there were great struggles to decide the powerful position of the House of Representatives

Question 6

decline - slave power conspiracy

Answer 6

Nativism and immigration restrictions as a concern became less important by the late 1850s, in line with the increased concern over the slave-power conspiracy. This meant that they Republicans began to grow as they were anti- slave power.

Question 7

decline - preserving union

Answer 7

People began to become more concerned about preserving the Union than immigration or Catholicism, which led to their decline.