Final answer:
Nativism affected politics by resisting immigration and favoring native-born citizens over immigrants, leading to restrictive immigration laws and widespread discrimination against nonwhite, non-Protestant, and immigrant groups including Asian communities and even Native Americans.
Step-by-step explanation:
In what ways did nativism affect politics? The correct answer is C) By resisting immigration and favoring native-born citizens. Nativism is a sociopolitical policy favoring the interests of established inhabitants over those of immigrants. During the 1920s, nativism heavily influenced America's immigration policy, particularly through the enactment of the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the Immigration Act of 1924. These acts were designed to preserve the ideal of a white, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant America, and significantly reduced immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, areas that nativists believed were sending 'undesirable' immigrants to the United States.
Furthermore, these nativist attitudes led to considerable discrimination against immigrant groups, as seen in the operations of organizations like the American Protective Association and the Immigration Restriction League. These groups launched campaigns against Jewish and Catholic migrants and lobbied for an English language literacy test to restrict immigration. Nativism also manifested in resistance to Asian immigration, with laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act specifically targeting Asian communities and limiting their ability to emigrate and naturalize as American citizens.
The effects of nativism did not end with immigration policies but also influenced a general atmosphere of prejudice that impacted the lives of nonwhite Americans, newly arrived immigrants, and ironically, Native Americans, who also faced discrimination despite being indigenous to the continent.