Class 35: Catholic Church in America, 16th – 19th C

Ann T. Orlando

26 April 2006

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

1685 Map of Spanish Floridawww.h-net.org/~latam/powerpoints/spanish_florida2.pdf

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

Spanish Missions in SW and Californianmtourism.org/go/loc/favorites/page/attractions-missions.html

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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, focused on terrorizing blacks in New York Federal troops called in to quell the riots

As a result, Catholics, Irish especially, became (and remain) staunch Democrats

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

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

Catholic Schools Controversy

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

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