In the 1850s, there was a Short-Lived Phenomenon. A fairly strong third political party arose, the American Party.
How It Started
In the 1840s, among a number of Americans, there was a strong anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, and anti-Jewish sentiment. During the 1840s, many immigrants were arriving, including a large number of Germans and Irish. Some believed they posed a threat to our economy and our political system.
To combat these supposed threats, secret societies emerged.
This group of secret anti-Catholic, anti-Jewish, and anti-immigrant political organizations united and called itself the American Party.
How the Name “Know-Nothing” Came About
The clandestine American Party had secret passwords and secret hand gestures.
When members were asked about their clandestine organization, they were supposed to respond that they knew nothing, ergo, they became known as the Know-Nothing Party.
The Party Platform
The Know-Nothing Party platform called for, among other things, a 21-year naturalization period for immigrants and the elimination of all Catholics from public office.
A Rapid Rise of Acceptance
In the early 1850s, the Know-Nothing Party grew rapidly in both size and importance, and the organization became an open national political party.
At its height in the 1850s, the Know Nothing Party had in its ranks over 100 congressmen, eight governors, control of six state legislatures, and a multitude of local politicians.
The Opposition
A majority of Americans were alarmed by the platform and ideas of the Know-Nothing Party. Abraham Lincoln expressed complete disgust with the political party.
A Rapid Reduction of Power
In the early 1850s, the Know-Nothing Party had a neutral position on the highly political and emotional matter of slavery, which permeated the nation.
By the mid-1850s, the Know-Nothing Party membership divided on the matter of slavery. This division came to be the death knell of the Know-Nothing Party.
Many Know-Nothing Party members began switching their allegiance to either the Democrat Party or the Republican Party, depending on their position on the issue of slavery.
By 1860, the Know-Nothing Party was virtually extinct.
