| Description |
xv, 330 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm |
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text txt rdacontent |
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unmediated n rdamedia |
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volume nc rdacarrier |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 287-310) and index. |
| Summary |
Although the United States has always portrayed itself as a sanctuary for the world's victim's of poverty and oppression, anti-immigrant movements have enjoyed remarkable success throughout American history. None attained greater prominence than the Order of the Star Spangled Banner, a fraternal order referred to most commonly as the Know Nothing party. Vowing to reduce the political influence of immigrants and Catholics, the Know Nothings burst onto the American political scene in 1854, and by the end of the following year they had elected eight governors, more than one hundred congressmen, and thousands of other local officials including the mayors of Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Chicago. After their initial successes, the Know Nothings attempted to increase their appeal by converting their network of lodges into a conventional political organization, which they christened the "American Party." Recently, historians have pointed to the Know Nothings' success as evidence that ethnic and religious issues mattered more to nineteenth-century voters than better-known national issues such as slavery. In this important book, however, Anbinder argues that the Know Nothings' phenomenal success was inextricably linked to the firm stance their northern members took against the extension of slavery. Most Know Nothings, he asserts, saw slavery and Catholicism as interconnected evils that should be fought in tandem. Although the Know Nothings certainly were bigots, their party provided an early outlet for the anti-slavery sentiment that eventually led to the Civil War. Anbinder's study presents the first comprehensive history of America's most successful anti-immigrant movement, as well as a major reinterpretation of the political crisis that led to the Civil War. |
| Contents |
Immigration, nativism, and party crisis -- The rise of the Know Nothings -- The Know Nothings enter politics -- The Know Nothings and the collapse of the second party system -- "Americans must rule America": The ideology of the Know Nothing Party -- The Know Nothings in office -- "Our order must be nationalized": slavery divides the Know Nothing Party -- "Slavery is at the bottom of all our troubles": the decline of the Know Nothing Party -- The Know Nothings and the Presidential election of 1856 -- The Know Nothings and Republican ascendancy, 1857-1860. |
| Subject |
United States -- Politics and government -- 1853-1857.
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United States -- Politics and government -- 1857-1861.
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American Party.
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Nativism.
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Antislavery movements -- United States.
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American Party. (OCoLC)fst00516629
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Antislavery movements. (OCoLC)fst00810800
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Nativism. (OCoLC)fst01033936
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Politics and government (OCoLC)fst01919741
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United States. (OCoLC)fst01204155
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| Chronological Term |
1853-1861
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| ISBN |
0195072332 |
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9780195072334 |
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0195089227 (pbk.) |
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9780195089226 (pbk.) |
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