Question

Who were nativists?

Answer 1

The Nativists were "Americans who believed that too many immigrants were coming into the country," since they considered themselves to be "Native," even though almost all of them were immigrants as well. 

Answer 2

Nativists were Americans who believed that too many immigrants were coming into the country (Option 4).

Such American sentiment of "Nativism" was a result of the increasing population of immigrants in the United States since the 1830s approximately. Many people mainly from Britain, Ireland, Germany, other parts of western Europe, Australia and China found out about America's cheap farmlands at the time and its advancement in industrialization and decided to move there for better job opportunities.

The Americans felt threaten by this new labor force that came to the country and who were more likely to work longer hours for less pay.

Nativists not only tried to protect their interests against those of immigrants, and supported immigration-restriction measures but many of them also promoted discrimination toward the new inhabitants.