The Whigs were falling apart, america was divided over the issue of slavery. Immigrants were coming in from the east and west. This created some bitter angst among some americans. There were secret political organizations coming out of the ashes of the whigs. They were worried because America was changing. This new native movement kept a low profile. They were very secretive and played dumb. This movement called for restrictions on immigration, they even wanted to block immigrants from voting. They also wanted to mandate a 21 year residency requirement before becoming a cititzen. Secret political organizations were formed because of this movement. In 1854 these organizations aligned themselves with factions of the whig party. They listed a bunch of candidates and dubbed them selves " The Know Nothing Party". In 1852, the Know Nothings achieved very high electoral success in state and local elections. They basically took over the state of California. When Congress assembled on Dec. 3, 1855, 43 representatives were avowed members of the Know-Nothing party. The Know Nothings became the American Party Former Whig President Millard Fillmore was selected as their parties nominee. Fillmore Carried one state and got 21% of the vote. They dropped down to 12 congressman and lost the Governorship in California. he American Party broke into two different factions after 1856, both pro and anti slavery. Between 1859 and 1860 the southern Know nothings, which made up of old school Whigs passed a platform to preserve slavery under a new name the Constitutional Union Party. However a new political party was rising, A party that was made up of anti slavery Whigs. The election of 1860, gave a whole new look to partisan politics. A former Whig congressman was running in the new party that wanted to abolish slavery. In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected the first Republican President of the United Sates. The Constitutional Union Party nominated former Know Nothing John Bell and only got 12% of the vote. The American Party had a brief stint 20 years later but Know Nothing party are with the Whigs now. Movements like the Know Nothings, political parties that are formed from the ashes of the ashes of a dark secret organization only last for so long. Electoral success such as what happened in California and local offices across the nation doesn't mean sustained success. It means you know how to get underneath peoples skin at that given moment, feed off peoples anger and disgust. Bitter divisiveness over slavery led us into a civil war.
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