The Know-Nothing Party
In the 1840s, anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic movements in America arose due to the arrival of large numbers of Irish immigrants and the increasing role of the Catholic Church in education and other areas of public life. The best known of these movements was the American Party, also known as the Know-Nothings. “The aim of the Know-Nothing movement was to combat foreign influences and to uphold and promote traditional American ways. Sworn to secrecy, the Know-Nothings derived their name from their standard reply to questions about their rituals and mysteries–“I know nothing about it.” The movement had considerable success in the 1850s, electing governors in Massachusetts and Delaware, and placing Millard Fillmore (1800-1874) on a presidential ticket in 1856. Thereafter the party went into a swift decline” (Library of Congress).
Library of Congress.
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Last edited April 23, 2021.
U.S. Immigration Detention 
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