Nativism and the Know-Nothing Party
Nativists (composed of white, U.S. born citizens) believed in protecting the interests of native inhabitants of their country against the interests of immigrants. During the 1800s and early 1900s, some native-born white Americans had fears and beliefs about immigrants – especially working-class or non-white immigrants – that fueled efforts to keep immigrants from voting. Some of those fears and beliefs, and some of the barriers to voting created by nativists, might sound familiar today.