If you voted for Millard Fillmore and the Know-Nothings in the election of 1856, you were likely most bothered by the increasing influence of immigrants in American society and politics, particularly those from Ireland and Germany. The Know-Nothing Party, which Fillmore represented, was primarily focused on nativist sentiments, which included a strong opposition to immigration and a belief that the country should be preserved for native-born Americans.
Concerns over cultural differences, job competition, and the political power that immigrants were gaining were central issues. Additionally, the Know-Nothings harbored anti-Catholic sentiments, believing that Catholic immigrants posed a threat to American values and institutions. Thus, fears about changing demographics, and the perceived dilution of American identity, would have been at the forefront of concerns for someone supporting Fillmore and the Know-Nothing Party.
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