Know-Nothing Party and Nativism

The video discusses the rise and fall of the Know-Nothing Party, focusing on its success in Massachusetts in 1854, where it gained significant political power. The party's nativist stance was linked to anti-slavery sentiments, despite opposition from the Catholic Church. The Know-Nothing legislature enacted various reforms, including anti-slavery laws and public school integration. Nativism served as a political alternative to sectional discord, attracting former Whigs. However, the party's inability to reconcile differences over slavery led to its decline, with many members joining the Republican Party. The Civil War further diminished nativism as immigrants fought for the Union, claiming equal citizenship.

What was the primary reason for the Know-Nothing Party's success in Massachusetts in 1854?

• Their support from the Catholic Church

• Their focus on economic reforms

• Their appeal to immigrant voters

• Their strong anti-slavery stance

How did the Know-Nothing Party view the relationship between nativism and anti-slavery?

• They prioritized nativism over anti-slavery

• They saw them as incompatible

• They believed nativism supported anti-slavery

• They ignored the anti-slavery movement

What was a significant action taken by the Know-Nothing government in Massachusetts regarding immigrants?

• They deported indigent Irish immigrants

• They encouraged more immigration from Europe

• They established a national immigration policy

• They provided financial aid to immigrants

Which legislative achievement is associated with the Know-Nothing Party in Massachusetts?

• Establishing a national bank

• Integrating public schools in Boston

• Creating a new state constitution

• Building a transcontinental railroad

What was the Know-Nothing Party's stance on public school integration in Boston?

• They left the decision to local authorities

• They opposed integration

• They had no official stance

• They supported integration

What was the Know-Nothing Party's strategy in the 1856 presidential election?

• They avoided participating in the election

• They focused on a pro-immigrant platform

• They nominated a former president known for sectional reconciliation

• They supported the Democratic candidate

Which group did the Know-Nothing Party primarily appeal to in the upper South?

• Immigrant communities

• Democratic Party members

• Conservative Whigs

• Abolitionists

What was a major factor in the decline of the Know-Nothing Party?

• Their failure to win any elections

• Their opposition to economic reforms

• Their inability to agree on the slavery issue

• Their lack of support from Protestant voters

What was the impact of the Civil War on nativism in the United States?

• It temporarily diminished nativism

• It strengthened nativist sentiments

• It led to the creation of new nativist parties

• It had no impact on nativism

How did the Republican Party's platform in the 1850s differ from the Know-Nothing Party's views?

• The Republican Party focused solely on economic issues

• The Republican Party ignored the issue of immigration

• The Republican Party supported nativist policies

• The Republican Party opposed discrimination against immigrants