Q
QuestionHistory

Which best describes the Know-Nothing Party of the mid- 1800s? A. They believed that only immigrants who followed the Catholic religion should be allowed. B. They believed native-born Americans were superior to immigrants and should have more rights. C. They supported immigration from England and Ireland, but not from Germany. D. They encouraged the arrival of poor immigrants from Europe, whom they did not want.
11 months agoReport content

Answer

Full Solution Locked

Sign in to view the complete step-by-step solution and unlock all study resources.

Step 1:
I'll solve this step by step:

Step 2:
: Understand the Know-Nothing Party

The Know-Nothing Party, also known as the American Party, was a nativist political movement in the mid- 1850s that was strongly anti-immigrant, particularly anti-Catholic immigrant.

Step 3:
: Analyze the Key Characteristics of the Party

The party was characterized by: - Strong anti-immigrant sentiment - Particularly hostile to Irish and German immigrants - Belief in Protestant, native-born American superiority - Desire to limit immigrant rights and political participation

Step 4:
: Evaluate Each Option

Option A: Incorrect. They did not support Catholic immigrants; in fact, they were strongly anti-Catholic. Option B: Correct. This most accurately describes the Know-Nothing Party's core ideology of native-born American superiority and opposition to immigrant rights. Option C: Incorrect. They were actually opposed to immigration from both England and Ireland. Option D: Incorrect. They did not encourage poor immigrants; they wanted to restrict immigration.

Final Answer

They believed native-born Americans were superior to immigrants and should have more rights. The Know-Nothing Party represented a xenophobic movement that sought to preserve what they saw as "American" (Protestant, Anglo-Saxon) culture by limiting the political and social rights of immigrants.