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The Catholic Irish moved rapidly into law enforcement, and (through the Catholic Church) built hundreds of schools, colleges, orphanages, hospitals, and asylums. Political opposition to the Catholic Irish climaxed in 1854 in the short-lived Know Nothing Party. The Irish vehemtly opposed blacks and abolitionists before and during the Civil War, and led the battle to stop Chinese immigration in the 1870s. The most important organization in the late 19th and early 20th century was the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Irish dominated the Knights of Columbus, but it was open to Catholocs of all ethnicities.
The Catholic Irish moved rapidly into law enforcement, and (through the Catholic Church) built hundreds of schools, colleges, orphanages, hospitals, and asylums. Political opposition to the Catholic Irish climaxed in 1854 in the short-lived Know Nothing Party. The Irish vehemtly opposed blacks and abolitionists before and during the Civil War, and led the battle to stop Chinese immigration in the 1870s. The most important organization in the late 19th and early 20th century was the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Irish dominated the Knights of Columbus, but it was open to Catholocs of all ethnicities.
[[File:Mcsorley.jpg|thumb|300px|The Saloon was the inevitable Irish hangout. John Sloan pained "McSorley's Bar" in 1912--the tavern is still in operation in Manhattan.]]
[[File:Mcsorley.jpg|thumb|300px|The Saloon was the inevitable Irish hangout. John Sloan pained "McSorley's Bar" in 1912--the tavern is still in operation in Manhattan.]]
===Police===
===Crime and Police===
The Irish Catholics formed gangs that used violence to control neighborhoods and work places (so that only gang members could get jobs). Combined with high rates of drunkenness and disorder, he gangs meant the Irish crime rate was very high.
The Irish Catholics formed gangs that used violence to control neighborhoods and work places (so that only gang members could get jobs). Combined with high rates of drunkenness and disorder, he gangs meant the Irish crime rate was very high.
The most famous violent gang was the [[Molly Maguires]] who terrorized the coal mining camps of Pennsylvania until broken up by hanging 18 leaders in 1877.
The most famous violent gang was the [[Molly Maguires]] who terrorized the coal mining camps of Pennsylvania until broken up by hanging 18 leaders in 1877.
By the 1850s, the Irish Catholics were a major presence in the police departments of large cities. In New York City in 1855, of the city's 1,149 policemen, 305 were natives of Ireland. The creation of a unified police force in Philadelphia opened the door for the Irish in that city. By 1860 in Chicago, 49 of the 107 on the police force were Irish. Chief O'Leary headed the police force in New Orleans and Malachi Fallon was chief of police of San Francisco.<ref>Potter p.530</ref>
===Presidential politics===
===Presidential politics===