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The "Know Nothing" "movement" (an organized effort to change society in some way) was an American "political party" (a group of people with similar values, beliefs, and goals who work together to elect candidates for government jobs who have similar values, beliefs, and goals) in the mid-1850s. Its real name was the Native American Party and in 1955 it was "renamed" (given a new name) the American Party. Part of the movement was very "secretive" (not wanting to share information). When members were asked a question, they were supposed to say, "I know nothing" - "hence" (from there) the "origin" (source) of the term "Know Nothing."

The movement "grew out of" (arose from) fears about the "influx" (sudden increase) in the number of "immigrants" (people who come from another country to live). Specifically, people were worried about the large number of immigrants from Germany and Ireland. White "Protestant" (a branch of Christianity) men feared that Catholics from Ireland were controlled by the "Pope" (the leader of the Catholic Church) and were "hostile to" (opposing; against) their values. In California, the party primarily "opposed" (was against) Chinese immigrants. These men wanted to "purify" (make clean or pure) American society and politics by placing "restrictions" (limitations) on the "influence" (power and persuasiveness) of the immigrant groups.

The Know Nothing movement experienced great success in the 1854 elections and in just a few months its "membership" (the number of people involved in an organization) increased from 50,000 to more than one million. But by 1856, the party's members were "conflicted" (disagreed; fought) over the issue of "slavery" (the practice of buying and selling people, and forcing them to work without pay) and the party "dissolved" (fell apart) soon after.