Catholic Church in America: Exploration, Missions, and Immigration in the 16th-19th Centuries

1. Class 29: Catholic Church in America, 16th – 19th C Dr. Ann T. Orlando 3 April 2019

2. Back to the 16th C • Southern tier of United States explored and proselytized by Spanish missionaries • Florida, Georgia, South Carolina • Texas • New Mexico • Arizona • Ponce de Leon, first expedition to Florida 1513 • French Huguenots established a colony at Jacksonville • Spanish attacked and destroyed French in 1565 • Franciscans, then Jesuits in St. Augustine in 1565 • Jesuits extend missions to Georgia and South Carolina

3. In 1655 there were 400 missionaries; 26,000 Indian converts War of Spanish Succession; Queen Anne’s War (1701-1714) English in North America attack Spanish, destroy Spanish missions in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina In 1711, ~20 missionaries and 400 converts in Florida 1685 Map of Spanish Floridawww.h-net.org/~latam/powerpoints/spanish_florida2.pdf

4. Coronado expedition 1540-1542 Through New Mexico, Colorado, Texas panhandle to Kansas Permanent colonies in New Mexico by 1600 Spanish exploration and colonization of California late 18th C Junipero Serra, 21 missions from San Diego to San Francisco Mexican American War 1846-1848 All lands north of Gila and Rio Grande Rivers ceded to US by Mexico California Gold Rush of 1849 dilutes (destroys) Spanish Catholic and Indian dominant culture in California Spanish Missions in SW and Californianmtourism.org/go/loc/favorites/page/attractions-missions.html

5. French in Canada • Jacques Cartier explores eastern Canada 1534-1535 • First permanent missions in Canada in1606; primarily trading company • Franciscan and Jesuit missionaries 1611 • French population in Canada only 2,000 by 1650; mostly around Quebec City • Difficult relation with Indians and English • Series of wars and disputes over boundaries • Culminates in French and Indian War (Seven Years War in Europe) 1755-1762 • English victorious; claim all of Canada • Note: First Catholics in New England were French Canadians (mid-17th C); poor French Catholic Canadians migrate to New England in 19th C to work in mills

6. French in Louisiana • Exploration down Mississippi late 17th C • French claimed entire middle 2/3 of what is now US • But it is so under populated that not practical • Except for a few isolated places; especially southern Louisiana at mouth of Mississippi (New Orleans, ‘high ground’ closest to mouth of river) • French surrendered Louisiana to Spanish at end of Seven Year’s War, 1763 • When Napoleon conquers Spain in 1801, claims Louisiana territory • Sells it to Thomas Jefferson in 1803

7. English Catholics • Recall that Charles I was married to a Catholic and had Catholic sympathies • Granted land along the Chesapeake to his Catholic friend Lord Baltimore • First English Catholic settlement in 1634 at St. Mary’s City • Although Catholics were tolerated and prospered in Maryland, they were not the majority • In addition to Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York welcomed Catholics in the 17th C

8. Catholics During the Revolutionary War • Charles Carroll of Maryland, prominent Catholic signed Declaration of Independence • John Carroll, SJ, first Bishop in United States • Continental Army was especially welcoming to Catholics from Canada and Ireland • Over 25% of Washington’s army (soldiers and officers) were Irish • Decisive role of French Navy against British at Yorktown • New country needed colonists who did not have loyalist sympathies • Relation between French and American revolutionary figures

9. The 19th C Irish in America • Several major waves of Irish immigrants • Between 1830 – 1860, 3 M Irish immigrated to US • Total US population in 1860 ~ 30M (including all territories and 4 M slaves) • Irish potato famine 1845-1850 • Suppressed economic and political opportunities for Catholics in Ireland during British rule • Irish quickly became leaders in American Church • Immigration to 19th C power centers in Northeastern US (New York and Boston)

10. How the 19th C Irish Immigration was Different from Previous Immigrations • First time that such a large number from one country immigrated in such a short time • By 1850, New York was the largest ‘Irish’ city in the world • Harbinger for Italian, Jewish and Polish immigration in late 19th, early 20th C • Social realities of such large numbers • Welcome source of very cheap labor in Northern manufacturing and railroad centers • Pressure on urban social systems; rise in crime

11. 19th C Protestant American Reaction • As numbers of Catholic (Irish) immigrants increase, reaction and prejudice increases • Ghettos of poor Irish in large cities • Civil unrest; • Too few low paying jobs; “No Irish Need Apply” ; resentment over jobs lost • Ursuline convent burned in Charlestown 1834 • Know-Nothing Party • Secret Order of Star Spangled Banner • Millard Fillmore ran as their candidate for president in 1856 and lost

12. Catholics and the Civil War • Know Nothing Party dissolved and most joined the Republican Party • Opposed to slavery and ‘popery’ • Catholicism seen as another type of slavery • Catholics concerned by political liberalism of European revolutions of 1848, and economic liberalism; tended to reject big government • Poor Northern Irish concerned about freed slaves moving North and taking their jobs • Thus Catholicism in North often seen as supporting slavery • Many Irish Catholics fought on both sides of Civil War • As war dragged on, Lincoln called for forced conscription, March 1863 • Allowed wealthy to buy their way out • Deeply resented by Irish • Three days of rioting in July 1863, focused on terrorizing blacks in New York • Federal troops called in to quell the riots • As a result, Catholics, Irish especially, became (and remained until recently) staunch Democrats

13. After American Civil War • Immigration continues • Germans 1880 • Italians 1907 • Polish 1921 • Immigrants (predominantly Catholic and Jewish) become cheap labor source in American factories • Church develops close ties to labor unions • Ethnic Churches developed to minister to immigrant communities in their own language and their own customs • Conflicts develop between older Irish Catholics and newer immigrants

14. Development of American Catholic Institutions • Education • Parochial schools, 40% of parishes had schools as early as 1880 • Colleges and Universities; • Jesuits play a major role • Georgetown 1789 • Holy Cross founded 1843; BC founded 1863 • Hospitals and orphanages • Catholic societies • Ancient Order of Hibernians 1836 • Knights of Columbus 1882

15. Thomas Nast, 1875 www.harpweek.com/09Cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Year=2003&Month=May&Date=8 After war, Catholicism seen as threat to unity of nation, especially by Republicans Supported Bismark’s Kulturkampf Many laws passed with support of Presidents Grant, Garfield, Hayes, denying any public support to Catholic schools Syllabus of Errors used to show that Catholics were opposed to individual freedom, progress and the American way Catholic Schools Controversy

16. Modernist “Americanist Heresy” Controversy • The issue: the ‘Americanization’ of religion, especially Catholicism • Progressive American Catholics; embraced separation of Church and State; American democracy • Isaac Hecker, founder of Paulists, emphasis on social action; French translation of his biography was modernist • Archbishop John Ireland (St. Paul) , a rare Catholic Republican who identified American civic virtues with Gospel • Bishop John McQuaid, Bishop of Rochester; opposed definition of Papal infallibility at Vatican I • Opposition, ‘traditionalists’: American governmental system may be best for America, but not necessarily universally; Catholics in America should not see themselves as part of a national church • Leo XIII Longinqua Oceani, 1895; apostolic letter addressed to American bishops