United States Nativism (politics)

1 united states

1.1 anti-catholic nativism in 19th century
1.2 anti-german nativism
1.3 anti-chinese nativism
1.4 20th century
1.5 21st century
1.6 language

united states

heroes of fiery cross 1928, published pillar of fire church

in united states, nativism has long history. term first used 1844, according oxford english dictionary (under nativism ) 1844: whig almanac 1845 4/2 thousands naturalized expressly oppose nativism, , voted polk ticket end.

for while benjamin franklin hostile germans in colonial pennsylvania, reversed himself , became supporter. federalist party in 1798 passed alien , sedition acts lengthened citizenship process 14 years weaken political role of radical immigrants france , ireland. became major political issue in 1800 election; jeffersonians won. welcomed immigrants , repealed of restrictions.

nativism gained name native american parties of 1840s , 1850s. in context native not mean indigenous americans or american indians rather descended inhabitants of original thirteen colonies. impacted politics in mid-19th century because of large inflows of immigrants after 1845 cultures different existing american culture. nativists objected irish roman catholics because of loyalty pope , because of supposed rejection of republicanism american ideal.

nativist movements included know nothing or american party of 1850s, immigration restriction league of 1890s, anti-asian movements in west, resulting in chinese exclusion act of 1882 , gentlemen s agreement of 1907 japan s government stopped emigration united states. labor unions strong supporters of chinese exclusion , limits on immigration, because of fears lower wages , make harder workers organize unions.

historian eric kaufmann has suggested american nativism has been explained in psychological , economic terms due neglect of crucial cultural , ethnic dimension. furthermore, kauffman claims american nativism cannot understood without reference american ethnic group took shape prior large-scale immigration of mid-eighteenth century.

anti-catholic nativism in 19th century

guardians of liberty 1943 bishop alma white

nativist outbursts occurred in northeast 1830s 1850s, in response surge of irish catholic immigration. in 1836, samuel morse ran unsuccessfully mayor of new york city on nativist ticket, receiving 1,496 votes. in new york city, order of united americans founded nativist fraternity, following philadelphia nativist riots of preceding spring , summer, in december, 1844.

in 1849–50 charles b. allen founded nativist society called order of star spangled banner in new york city. in order join order, man had twenty-one, protestant, believer in god, , willing obey without question dictates of order. members of order became known know nothings (a label applied them because if asked said know nothing secret society).

the nativists went public in 1854 when formed american party , hostile immigration of irish catholics , campaigned laws require longer wait time between immigration , naturalization. (the laws never passed.) @ time term nativist first appears, opponents denounced them bigoted nativists. former president millard fillmore ran on american party ticket presidency in 1856. american party included many ex-whigs ignored nativism, , included (in south) few catholics families had long lived in america. conversely, of opposition catholics came protestant irish immigrants , german lutheran immigrants not native @ , can hardly called nativists.

this form of nationalism identified xenophobia , anti-catholic sentiment (anti-papism). in charlestown, massachusetts, nativist mob attacked , burned down catholic convent in 1834 (no 1 injured). in 1840s, small scale riots between catholics , nativists took place in several american cities. in philadelphia in 1844, example, series of nativist assaults on catholic churches , community centers resulted in loss of lives , professionalization of police force. in louisville, kentucky, election-day rioters killed @ least 22 people in attacks on german , irish catholics on aug. 6, 1855, in became known bloody monday. nativist sentiment experienced revival in 1890s, led protestant irish immigrants hostile catholic immigration.

anti-german nativism

from 1840s 1920 german americans distrusted because of separatist social structure, german-language schools, attachment native tongue on english, , neutrality during world war i.

the bennett law caused political uproar in wisconsin in 1890, state government passed law threatened close down hundreds of german-language elementary schools. catholic , lutheran germans rallied defeat governor william d. hoard. hoard attacked german american culture , religion:

must fight alienism , selfish ecclesiasticism.... parents, pastors , church have entered conspiracy darken understanding of children, denied cupidity , bigotry privilege of free schools of state.

hoard, republican, defeated democrats. similar campaign in illinois regarding edwards law led republican defeat there in 1890.

in 1917–1918, wave of nativist sentiment led suppression of german cultural activities in united states, canada , australia. there little violence, many places , streets had names changed (the city of berlin in ontario renamed kitchener after british hero), churches switched english services, , german americans forced buy war bonds show patriotism. in australia thousands of germans put internment camps.

(see also: world war anti-german sentiment)

anti-chinese nativism

in 1870s in western states irish americans targeted violence against chinese workers, driving them out of smaller towns. denis kearney, immigrant ireland, led mass movement in san francisco in 1870s incited attacks on chinese there , threatened public officials , railroad owners. chinese exclusion act of 1882 first of many nativist acts of congress attempted limit flow of immigrants u.s. chinese responded filing false claims of american birth, enabling thousands of them immigrate california. exclusion of chinese caused western railroads begin importing mexican railroad workers in greater numbers ( traqueros ).

20th century

in 1890s–1920s era nativists , labor unions campaigned immigration restriction. favorite plan literacy test exclude workers not read or write own foreign language. congress passed literacy tests, presidents—responding business needs workers—vetoed them. senator henry cabot lodge argued need literacy tests , implication on new immigrants:

it found, in first place, illiteracy test bear heavily upon italians, russians, poles, hungarians, greeks, , asiatics, , lightly, or not @ all, upon english-speaking emigrants, or germans, scandinavians, , french. in other words, races affected illiteracy test emigration country has begun within last twenty years , swelled rapidly enormous proportions, races english speaking people have never hitherto assimilated, , alien great body of people of united states.

responding these demands, opponents of literacy test called establishment of immigration commission focus on immigration whole. united states immigration commission, known dillingham commission, created , tasked studying immigration , effect on united states. findings of commission further influenced immigration policy , upheld concerns of nativist movement.

following world war i, nativists in twenties focused attention on catholics, jews, , south-eastern europeans , realigned beliefs behind racial , religious nativism. racial concern of anti-immigration movement linked closely eugenics movement sweeping united states in twenties. led madison grant s book, passing of great race nativists grew more concerned racial purity of united states. in book, grant argued american racial stock being diluted influx of new immigrants mediterranean, balkans, , polish ghettos. passing of great race reached wide popularity among americans , influenced immigration policy in twenties. in 1920s wide national consensus sharply restricted overall inflow of immigrants, southern , eastern europe. second ku klux klan, flourished in u.s. in 1920s, used strong nativist rhetoric, catholics led counterattack.

after intense lobbying nativist movement united states congress passed emergency quota act in 1921. bill first place numerical quotas on immigration. capped inflow of immigrations 357,803 arriving outside of western hemisphere. however, bill temporary congress began debating more permanent bill.

the emergency quota act followed immigration act of 1924, more permanent resolution. law reduced number of immigrants able arrive 357,803, number established in emergency quota act, 164,687. though bill did not restrict immigration, considerably curbed flow of immigration united states. during late twenties average of 270,000 immigrants allowed arrive because of exemption of canada , latin american countries.

fear of low-skilled immigrants flooding labor market issue in 1920s (focused on immigrants italy , poland), , in first decade of 21st century (focused on immigrants mexico , central america).

an immigration reductionism movement formed in 1970s , continues present day. prominent members press massive, total, reductions in immigration levels.

american nativist sentiment experienced resurgence in late 20th century, time directed @ undocumented workers, largely mexican resulting in passage of new penalties against illegal immigration in 1996.

most immigration reductionists see illegal immigration, principally across united states–mexico border, more pressing concern. authors such samuel huntington have seen recent hispanic immigration creating national identity crisis , presenting insurmountable problems social institutions.

noting large-scale mexican immigration in southwest, cold-war diplomat george f. kennan in 2002 saw unmistakable evidences of growing differentiation between cultures, respectively, of large southern , southwestern regions of country, on 1 hand , , of northern regions . in former, warned:

the culture of bulk of population of these regions tend latin-american in nature rather inherited earlier american traditions ... there little of merit [in america] deserves recklessly trashed in favor of polyglot mix-mash?

meyers argues kennan represented tradition of militant nativism resembled or exceeded know nothings of 1850s. mayers adds kennan believed american women had power.

21st century

by late 2014, tea party movement had turned focus away economic issues, spending, , obamacare, , towards president barack obama s immigration policies, saw threatening transform american society. planned defeat leading republicans supported immigration programs, such senator john mccain. typical slogan appeared in tea party tribune: “amnesty millions, tyranny all.” new york times reported:

what started 5 years ago groundswell of conservatives committed curtailing reach of federal government, cutting deficit , countering wall street wing of republican party has become movement largely against immigration overhaul. politicians, intellectual leaders , activists consider part of tea party have redirected energy fiscal austerity , small government stopping changes legitimize people here illegally, either through granting them citizenship or legal status.

in 2016 bid presidency, republican presidential candidate donald trump has been accused of introducing nativist themes controversial stances on temporarily banning foreign muslims entering united states , erecting substantial wall between us-mexico border halt illegal immigration. journalist john cassidy wrote in new yorker trump transforming gop populist, nativist party:

trump has been drawing on base of alienated white working-class , middle-class voters, seeking remake g.o.p. more populist, nativist, avowedly protectionist, , semi-isolationist party skeptical of immigration, free trade, , military interventionism.

donald brand, professor of political science, argues:

donald trump’s nativism fundamental corruption of founding principles of republican party. nativists champion purported interests of american citizens on of immigrants, justifying hostility immigrants use of derogatory stereotypes: mexicans rapists; muslims terrorists.

language

sticker sold in colorado

american nativists have promoted english , deprecated use of german , spanish. english proponents in late 20th century proposed english language amendment (ela), constitutional amendment making english official language of united states, received limited political support.