Know Nothing

The Native American Party, renamed the American Party in 1855 and commonly known as the Know Nothing movement, is an American nativist political party that operates nationally in the mid-1850s.

It is primarily anti-Catholic, xenophobic, and hostile to immigration, starting originally as a secret society.

The movement briefly emerges as a major political party in the form of the American Party.

Adherents to the movement are to reply "I know nothing" when asked about its specifics by outsiders, thus providing the group with its common name.

The Know Nothings believe a "Romanist" conspiracy is afoot to subvert civil and religious liberty in the United States and seek to politically organize native-born Protestants in what they describe as a defense of their traditional religious and political values

It is remembered for this theme because of fears by Protestants that Catholic priests and bishops would control a large bloc of voters

In most places, Know Nothingism lasts only a year or two before disintegrating because of weak local leaders, few publicly declared national leaders and a deep split over the issue of slavery

In the South, the party does not emphasize anti-Catholicism, but is the main alternative to the dominant Democratic Party.

The collapse of the Whig Party after the passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Act leaves an opening for the emergence of a new major party in opposition to the Democrats.

The Know Nothings elect congressman Nathaniel P. Banks of Massachusetts and several other individuals in the 1854 elections and create a new party organization known as the American Party.

Particularly in the South, the American Party serves as a vehicle for politicians opposed to the Democratic Party.

Many also hope that it will seek a middle ground between the pro-slavery positions of many Democratic politicians and the anti-slavery positions of the emerging Republican Party.

The American Party nominates former President Millard Fillmore in the 1856 presidential election, although he keeps quiet about his membership.

Fillmore receives 21.5% of the popular vote in the 1856 presidential election, finishing behind the Democratic and Republican nominees.

The party declines rapidly after the 1856 election.

The 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford decision further arouses opposition to slavery in the North, where many Know Nothings join the Republicans.

Most of the remaining members of the party support the Constitutional Union Party in the 1860 presidential election.

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