Donald Trump and the Know-Nothing Movement

Historically, segments of white Americans have let racist paranoia supersede judicious reasoning throughout our history. The 2016 Presidential election in the United States brought the Know-Nothing's back from the hidden depths of our history books. This book provides a historical account of the Know-Nothing Party in the 1850s through their reemergence in the 21st century with the election of Donald Trump. Analyzing the anti-immigration and anti-Catholic rhetoric of the Know-Nothing movement and tracing that same rhetoric in George Wallace's American Independent Party in the '60s, up into its appearance in the Trump movement, this book provides a guide for understanding the 2016 Republican Party agenda through its inheritance from the Know-Nothing Movement.

Contextualizes the 2016 presidential election with the background of the 19th century Know-Nothing movement Provides further historical context through events such as the 1940 Republican nomination of a businessman, the 1960 election of John F. Kennedy, and 2008 election of Barack Obama. Offers valuable insights for students, academics, and the politically-minded

Autorentext
Jeffrey J. Volle is an independent scholar who has three previous books published with Palgrave Macmillan: The Political Legacies of Barry Goldwater and George McGovern: Shifting Party Paradigms, Clinton/Gore: Victory from a Shadow Box and Twenty-Five Years of GOP Presidential Nominations: Threading the Needle.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. The Original Know-Nothing's.- 3. Our 13th President now a Know-Nothing!.- 4. Trump '68.- 5. Obama and the Resurrection of the Know Nothing.- 6. The World is WatchingAgain!.- 7. Conclusions.