The best known of these nativist groups came to be called the American Party, and its adherents as Know-Nothings. The aim of the Know-Nothing movement was to combat foreign influences and to uphold and promote traditional American ways.
In this regard, who were the Know-Nothings and what did they support?
The Know-Nothings started in 1849 as a secret organization with an anti-immigrant agenda. Reacting against the large tide of immigrants arriving in the 1840s, they actively promoted “natives,” which they defined as American-born Protestants.
Likewise, people ask, why was the constitutional union formed?
The Constitutional Union Party was a United States third party active during the 1860 elections. It consisted of conservative former Whigs, largely from the Southern United States, who wanted to avoid secession over the slavery issue and refused to join either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party.