17. The Philadelphia Nativist Riots, also known as the Bible Riots, were a violent response by Protestant nativists to the Philadelphia’s school boards tolerance of Catholic Bibles in schools
With the industrialization of Philadelphia, the former capital of the United States became a hub for migration during the first half of the 19th century. Predominantly from England, Ireland, and Germany, these principally Catholic immigrants became increasingly the focus of nativist discontent. Outraged by the agreement of the Board of Controllers to permit children to read whichever bible their parents chose, rather than requiring the King James version, the incident was further twisted and exaggerated into an alleged attempt by Papists to ban non-Catholic worship. Inciting rallies and protests throughout the city against the supposed removal of Protestant Bibles from schools, nativist groups took to the streets.
On May 6, 1844, a rally led by the American Republican Party erupted into violence between Irish Catholics and Nativists. Spilling into the streets, several homes of prominent Catholics and the Seminary of the Sisters of Charity were attacked during the riot. Calling on Americans to defend themselves from “the bloody hand of the Pope”, the nativist mob attacked the Hibernia fire station before burning down a Catholic church. Attempting to trigger a second, more expansive and deadly riot on July 6, local militia, aware of the efforts in advance, were able to turn back the xenophobic rioters with minimal damage and cost of life.