Irish and German Immigration

Know-Nothings were concerned not only with the dramatic increase in the numbers of immigrants but with who those immigrants were. During the early 19th century, large numbers of Irish and German immigrants came to the U.S. By 1860, there were more than 1.5 million Irish-born and approximately 1 million German-born immigrants in the country. These immigrants were, by and large, Catholic, while the majority of Americans were Protestant. 

Many Know-Nothings voiced common concerns about immigrants, claiming they drove down wages, took jobs away from native-born Americans, and were too culturally different to assimilate. Radical Know-Nothings feared that Catholics would be more loyal to the Pope in Rome and that the new immigrants intended to take over the country and place it under the Pope’s rule. As a result of these many concerns, the Know-Nothings worked to raise opposition to immigration generally, and specifically to prevent Catholics and immigrants from being elected to political office. 

Analyze this political cartoon to better understand the stereotypes associated with Irish and German immigrants and answer the questions.