Vliv Republikánské strany na českou krajanskou komunitu v USA v druhé polovině 19. století

Bc. Václav PODLEŠÁK

Master's thesis

The Influence of the Republican Party among Czech emigrants in the United States of America during 19th century

Abstract:

Podpora Republikánské strany představuje významnou kapitolu v dějinách české Ameriky. Češi, kteří v druhé polovině 19. století přicházeli do Spojených států amerických, se věnovali především zemědělské činnosti. Ovšem pod vlivem českojazyčných periodik a několika intelektuálů pomalu docházelo k jejich zapojování do politického života v nové zemi. Jejich první směřování vedlo k nově vzniklé republikánské straně, která sice při svém vzniku pojala širokou škálu hnutí s různými cíli, ale pro krajany byla lákavá mj. odporem vůči otrokářství.

Abstract:

This thesis describes relations between the Republican Party and the Czech community in the United States of America during the second half of the 19th century. They are observed through the lens of newspapers published by Czech intellectuals such as Karel Jonáš, Václav Šnajdr or Vojta Náprstek. In the fifties, Vojta Náprstek was one of the most influential persons among the Bohemians and Moravians. Because of his progressive thinking, he recognized the Republican Party as the upcoming force of American politics, which is willing to protect emigrants from the destructive fallout of slavery to small family farms, which were most common among his compatriots. Therefore, he campaigned for John Charles Frémont in 1856 and affected many of them for years to come. During the sixties and seventies, it became apparent that the solution to slavery was the main link between Czechs and the Republican Party. They were willing to support the radicals such as Charles Sumner or other capable congressmen of that era, but while the Reconstruction Amendments were accepted, they considered the problem solved. The measures on the federal level put forward by the Grant administration caused considerable distaste among them. Especially Karel Jonáš disagreed with such cause and ended up leading the Czech liberal republican reform in 1872 which was concluded with their transition to the Democratic Party in 1876. In the seventies, the Czech workers also formed their own Socialist parties together with other ethnic groups. These movements were accelerated by the Great Depression of the 19th century.

Keywords

usa, emigrace, náprstek, republikáni, politika, zahraničí, otroctví, amerika

Language used: Czech

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 18. 8. 2022

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Mgr. Lukáš Perutka, Ph.D.

Palacký University Olomouc

Faculty of Arts

Master programme / field:
History / History