1854+Know+Nothing+Party

Home TIMELINE TOPICS ASSIGNMENT: Who Is A Person In America?

1854 The Know-Nothing Party By Katie Van Winkle

Sources for pictures: "Know-Nothing Party campaign poster." Image. Library of Congress. // American History //. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 19 Sept. 2011. //know-nothing party//. N.d. //http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/// //Multimedia.jsp?id=m-2445//. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2011

Write a journal/newspaper style article in which you take a neutral stance (as a reporter) and give the facts about the actual event. What led up to the event? What happened during the actual event? Did it have an “end” or is it unresolved? You are to write about this event __when it happened__, you are assuming the role of a reporter in 1850, 1920, etc., __not someone looking back from 2011__. You need to cite your sources, and they must include information only available during that time period. At least one source must be primary and/or an eyewitness account. **Important - This work will be submitted to TurnItIn.com. We will provide you information about using this helpful resource**!
 * TASK I: **

**__Riot in Louisville!__** by Katie Van Winkle Tuesday August 7, 1855 Riots broke out across Louisville last night as tension between the Know-Nothing party and Immigrants reached a high point. The death toll at this time is unknown but a roman catholic bishop, Martin Spalding, is claiming that it is well over 100, officials are denying his claims though.

What started the riots were claims that Irish and German Catholics had managed to mess with the voting process. Late last night members of the Know-nothing party and their supporters, using weapons they stockpiled in the Louisville state hall, ripped through the Irish and German district of Louisville, destroying homes and businesses.

The mayor of Louisville, a member of the Know-nothing party himself, John Barbee intervened when the rioters started to attack the Cathedral of the Assumption and successfully stopped them from burning it. He then procceded to the German St. Martin of Tours church to successfully protect it too.

The causes of these riots are uncertain but the writings of George D. Prentice have been a hot topic of decisions among anti-immigrant groups and have sparked controversy across the country.

Corfield, Justin. "Bloody Monday ." // American History //. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 22 Sept. 2011.

Task 1: Mastery Rubric A quality news article will: •open with an attention-grabbing headline •identify the author's name and the date of the publication (in the past) •develop the 5 W's in three power paragraphs •paragraph 1: contain an interesting lead •paragraph 2: correctly cite a secondary source (an indirect quote) •paragraph 3: correctly cite a primary source (eyewitness account) •maintain appropriate journalistic voice •read like an article written in the same time period as the event occurred •be free of mechanics and Works Cited errors

TASK II What is the Argument? Is the Know-nothing parties's opinion on immigrants justifiable?

PROMPT 1: Why did the majority of Americans not recognize the rights of members of this group?PROMPT 2: How did advocates for the minority group shed light on this injustice? The Know-Nothing Party was a secretive political party that existed during the 1840’s and 1850’s, they where strongly anti-catholic and anti-immigration. This party was very suspicious of immigrants and catholic, believing that they did not belong in this country and that also that they were somehow messing with the voting system. “The majority of the Know-Nothings came from middle and working class backgrounds. These people feared competition for jobs from immigrants coming to the United States.”(Ohio historical society) This fear gave the Know-Nothing party fuel to continue their anti-immigrant campaign and it gained popularity rapidly. “They didn't stop to think that the newcomers were often doing jobs no one else wanted to do—scrubbing floors, or digging ditches, or building railroads. They could not foresee that the sons and daughters of poor immigrants would become some of the most productive citizens any country has ever known.”(PBS) The Know-Nothing party dissolved in the mid-1850’s because they didn’t take a stand on slavery, which was a major issue at the time. They were a racist and destructive party through their short life and were blind to certain facts about the lives of immigrants. American party." //Ohio History Central//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2011. . "Know-Nothing People." //PBS//. PBS, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2011. .

PROMPT 2: How did advocates for the minority group shed light on this injustice?

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame, "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
 * TASK III: **

//by Emma Lazarus, New York City, 1883//

__Paragraph 1:__ Analyze the impact of the literary or artistic work for the minority group and/or American society as a whole. This poem was written by the Emma Lazurus when the Statue of Liberty was being built, she meant it to be a tribute to the great monument but it ended up meaning so much more to people coming to american to escape the oppression of their homelands. The most famous linesare the last five,"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"(Emma Lazarus, 1883) which truly encourage people to come and start a new life in America in a time where most of Europe was still being oppressed by monarchies or unfair labor and trading laws. This poem helped paint America in a bright and hopeful light and encouraged more people to immigrate to america and escape their restrictive lives.

__Paragraph 2:__ CLOSING-- How did the event impact the debate on the argument? The Know Nothing party impacted the immigrant population in a negative way. They destroyed businesses and home but also rallied to keep immigrants and Catholics out of government jobs. They were short lived and their damage was minimal but the ideas and policie of the know nothing party lived on for decades to come.

An outstanding product will. •showcase a work that expresses a profound idea about your event and the argument surrounding it This is a good poem choice, it shows the immigrants' hope and dreams. •be the **best** example available, not simply the first one you find •demonstrate your ability to interpret the meaning of the literary or artistic piece I'd like to see you make a clearer connection between the poem and your "event." The most meaningful connection is between the dreams of the immigrants and the harsh reality of America. <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">•use the extended power paragraph format as a means to express your understanding of the event, argument, and how art literature and art <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">can reveal emotions and ideas <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">Is there a long-term impact of the KNP? The Lazarus poem? <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">•reference sources accurately <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">•mechanics are clean and effective <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">Be sure to take the time to edit and polish your writing.
 * <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px;">TASK III: Artistic Expression Element Rubric **

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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">An outstanding time line entry includes the following: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">• Opens by identifying you, the author, and your event with a banner headline (see an example of a banner on the top of this page). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">• Under the banner, in the table place two graphics or photos that illustrates an important aspect of the event. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">• Thoughtful responses to each prompt are supported by credible sources representing diverse perspectives on the event. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">• Each response should be posted in order (follow template instructions), contain few mechanic errors and follow the power paragraph format. <span style="color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">• The credibility of each cited source is established and internal citations accurately match the Works Cited.• TASK I and TASK II each introduce and cite two new sources; TASK III cites one new source.• The Works Cited lists 5 credible sources from the LC databases.
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