The Ku Klux Klan was a secret terrorist organisation that originated in the southern states of the United States of America and was also known as the Invisible Empire. It came into existence after the Civil War in America around 1860. During this period many white people had lost the right to vote which left "illiterate" blacks the bulk of the voting population which many members of the Ku Klux Klan, (if not all) believed it led to a large rise in crime and corruption against White Southerners. The Klan was formed to restore the white government of the South back to the Southern people.Woodrow Wilson said, " It saved civilisation on this continent.
" But the Klan did fade away from the 1870 until about 1920 were its popularity was at its height as the Klan had most support then. By 1920 the Klan was anti-black, anti-Catholic and anti-Jewish. It also had hatred for other religious groups who were different from its own religion and those who had different ideals from their own. From reading the first four sources I have found a number of reasons why many white Americans supported the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s.One of the main reasons that I find, especially in the first source, by R Coughlan, why white Americans supported the Ku Klux Klan was that " Many 'old stock' Americans feared that immigrants might overrun them. The 'foreigners' were ruining the country.
" William Simmons who said, "America is a garbage can" also supports this statement in the third source. He uses the term " hordes of aliens " to describe immigrants. Both clearly show the member's of the Ku Klux Klan's dislike and even hatred towards those who aren't "old stock" Americans.Both sources also show the fear Americans have of being "overrun by foreigners.
" In the third source it says if those aliens outnumber your votes at the ballet box then they have you by the throat. These beliefs fuelled fear amongst many white Americans but drove them into the ranks of the KKK. Sources two and four are appealing to white people and encourage them to join the Klan because in each source there is a member of the Klan explaining the Klan's ideals and what their plan for society is.They both talk about bringing "restraint against crime" and "punishing wrongdoers.
" I can see why many white Americans joined the Klan as they thought it was a group with good morals, which was looking out for the interests of the white American population. In these sources the Klan are seen to be a heroic group, who were there to clean up crime and basically make America a better place. This is why so many white Americans joined the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s.
