Nativism in American History: How Fear of the Foreign Shaped a Nation’s Identity

From the earliest colonial settlements to the 21st-century debates over immigration, nativism has repeatedly emerged as a powerful, often volatile force in U.S. history—rooted in the belief that the nation’s identity must be preserved by limiting outsider influence. Defined as suspicion, prejudice, or advocacy for restricting foreign-born individuals, nativism in the American context reflects deeper anxieties about cultural cohesion, economic competition, and national security.

Over centuries, these sentiments have flickered in waves, shaping laws, policies, and social attitudes in ways that continue to resonate today.

At its core, nativism is not simply about immigration—it is about the perceived threat to a nation’s “true” character. The term itself, derived from the Latin *natio* (nation) and *nativus* (of birth), captures a worldview that sees national identity as essential and endangered.

In the United States, this ideology gained traction during periods of rapid demographic change. As new immigrants arrived—first Protestant Europeans in the 17th century, then Catholics from Ireland and Germany in the 19th century, and later Mexicans, Asians, and refugees from conflict zones—the reaction often centered on fears that “the American way of life” was under siege. As historian Sean Wilentz noted, “Nativism is the recurring American anxiety that outsiders are not just different—they are dangerous to the soul of the republic.”

The First Waves: Colonial Foundations and Religious Prejudice

Nativist impulses stretch back to the earliest chapters of U.S.

history, beginning with colonial-era distrust of non-Protestant settlers. Though the new colonies were founded on ideals of self-governance, established religious groups—especially Puritans—often enforced homogeneity. Algonquian-speaking Indigenous peoples were displaced, but among European arrivals, religious difference became a flashpoint: Dutch Calvinists in New Netherland, British Quakers in Puritan Massachusetts, and later Catholic Irish and German immigrants faced suspicion and exclusion.

Latin America and the Rise of Refined Nativism

By the 19th century, as industrialization accelerated and port cities swelled with immigrants, nativism sharpened into a more structured movement. The influx from Ireland and Germany—driven by famine, revolution, and economic collapse—sparked new tensions. Irish Catholics, in particular, were stereotyped as “uncivilized” and loyal to the Pope rather than American values.

The Ku Klux Klan, though formally founded during Reconstruction, later evolved into a vehicle for anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic nativism. While its origins were rooted in white Protestant resistance to Reconstruction, its message reflected broader fears: that “the foreign” would corrupt American democracy.

Still, earlier laws laid the groundwork: the 1798 Alien Act suspended rights for “dangerous” foreigners, while the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned immigration from a major foreign group—marking the first federal law explicitly targeting a nationality. As the National Archives explains, “These laws were not just about borders; they were moral declarations that defined who belonged and who threatened the nation’s soul.”

Labor Conflict and the Rise of Political Nativism

The early 20th century saw nativism intersect with labor strife, as industrial workers framed immigrants as strikebreakers and cheap labor undermining wages. Anarchist bombings like the 1919 Detroit and New York attacks intensified suspicion.

The “Red Scare” of that era fused anti-immigrant and anti-communist fears, portraying foreigners—especially Russians and Eastern Europeans—as inwardly disloyal. Nativist propaganda claimed that “the foreign vote” swayed elections, threatening native-born dominance. In the 1920s, this resentment crystallized in policy.

The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and Immigration Act of 1924 restricted entry by country of origin to favor Northern and Western Europeans. The message was clear: America’s future depended on preserving a specific ethnic and cultural order. As sociologist Theodore Gitlitz observed, “Nativism became a language of preservation—framed as patriotism, but often masking economic envy and racial hierarchy.”

World Wars and the Reconfiguration of American Exclusion

The World Wars reshaped nativist sentiment, as fears of foreign allegiance and ideological subversion reached new levels.

During World War I, German Americans faced internment and surveillance; during the Red Scare, Bolshevism deepened anxieties about migration from Eastern Europe and Russia. Yet wartime necessity temporarily softened restrictions—millions of Southern and Eastern Europeans joined the Army and war industries—but peacetime turned again to exclusion. Post-WWII, geopolitical shifts redefined nativism.

The refugee crises following WWII and the Holocaust created moral imperatives, yet Cold War logic still filtered immigration through ideological screening. The 1952 McCarran-Walter Act maintained quotas but also allowed humanitarian admissions—balancing security with compassion. Still, the underlying principle remained: immigration must align with national interests and cultural compatibility.

“To belong is to be seen as American not by birth, but by loyalty,” —claimed mid-century reformers advocating a more inclusive vision, even as exclusion persisted in policy and practice.

Modern Nativism: Immigration and Identity in the 21st Century

The 21st century has seen nativism evolve alongside shifting demographics and global crises. Economic insecurity, technological disruption, and security threats—most notably after 9/11—have reignited nativist discourse. Debates over border enforcement, DACA, and visa restrictions reflect enduring tensions between openness and protectionism.

Media narratives often frame immigrants as either contributors or vulnerabilities, reinforcing polarized views. Today, nativism manifests in subtle and overt forms: from restrictive state laws targeting sanctuary cities to grassroots movements emphasizing “Americans first” rhetoric. Yet counter-movements—advocating immigrant rights, multiculturalism, and inclusive citizenship—persist, revealing the nation’s ongoing struggle to reconcile its founding ideals with the reality of diversity.

As historian Erika Lee remarks, “Nativism is not a relic; it’s a recurrent theme that