Breakdown:

1. The Know-Nothing Party (1850s):
   • The passage begins with a discussion about the Know-Nothing Party, which emerged in the 1850s in the U.S. The party was initially called the Native American Party, but it was not focused on Native Americans. Instead, it was driven by xenophobia and anti-Catholic sentiment, largely composed of white Protestants who feared the growing influence of Catholic immigrants. They coined the term “Know Nothing” because when asked about their views, they would reply with “I know nothing.”
2. The Dred Scott Decision (1857):
   • The passage then highlights the Dred Scott decision in 1857, where Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled that Black people, whether enslaved or free, could not become U.S. citizens. This ruling argued that Black people were considered less than human and had no rights that white men were bound to respect. This decision deepened the divisions in the U.S., contributing to the Civil War.
3. The Civil War and Reconstruction:
   • The narrative shifts to the Civil War, which ended in 1865 with the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Following the war, the 13th Amendment was passed, which ended slavery but allowed for involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime. The passage notes the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in April 1865 and shifts to the events that followed.
4. John Pemberton and the Birth of Coca-Cola:
   • The story then moves to John Pemberton, a Confederate officer and doctor who became addicted to opiates after being wounded in the Civil War. Seeking a remedy for his addiction, Pemberton experimented with different painkillers, eventually creating a concoction using coca plants and alcohol, which he called Pemberton’s French Wine Coca. The drink was marketed as a cure for various ailments.
   • In the 1880s, the temperance movement made it difficult to sell alcohol, so Pemberton replaced the alcohol with carbonated water to create Coca-Cola, a product that later became an iconic American brand. The passage highlights the fact that Coca-Cola was created by a man who was a Confederate and racist.
5. Fascism and “America First” (1920s-1930s):
   • Moving into the 1920s and 1930s, the passage explores the rise of fascism in Europe and how the “America First” movement began to gain traction in the U.S. Woodrow Wilson, who was president during the First World War, is mentioned as supporting racist ideologies, including the belief in the protection of white women from Black men. His administration promoted segregation and often echoed the sentiments of the far-right, which was influenced by fascist movements in Europe.
   • The America First slogan would eventually be associated with white nationalism and a desire to keep the U.S. for white Protestant citizens.
6. Coca-Cola’s Connection to Nazi Germany:
   • The passage delves into Coca-Cola’s involvement during the Nazi era. Coca-Cola was extremely popular in Nazi Germany, so much so that they opened a plant there, called Coca-Cola Deutschland. When the U.S. placed an embargo on Germany during WWII, Coca-Cola could no longer send syrup to their German plant. To keep the business running, Max Keith, the manager of the German Coca-Cola plant, developed a new drink by using leftover cheese-making byproducts and fruit flavors. This drink was named Fanta, a word that suggested imagination.
   • The creation of Fanta is tied to the idea that it was a product born out of necessity and resourcefulness during difficult times, and it would later become another major brand under the Coca-Cola company.

Key Themes:

• Racial and Political History: The passage highlights how race, politics, and corporate interests have been deeply intertwined in American history. The rise of America First rhetoric, rooted in white supremacy and xenophobia, parallels the development of iconic American products like Coca-Cola.
• Hypocrisy and Historical Revisionism: The passage criticizes the historical revisionism that often omits the racist and problematic origins of American institutions and products, such as Coca-Cola’s ties to Confederate history and fascist Germany.
• Corporate Power and Moral Complicity: Coca-Cola’s involvement in Nazi Germany and its later development of Fanta illustrates how companies can perpetuate harmful ideologies or support regimes without facing public backlash. It also reflects how businesses, like governments, often prioritize profits over ethical concerns.

Conclusion:

The passage traces the complex and often troubling history of both the America First movement and Coca-Cola, connecting these ideas to broader themes of racial politics, corporate interests, and the ways in which history is shaped and sometimes forgotten. It underscores the ways in which xenophobic and racist ideologies have persisted in the United States, both in the political sphere and within popular culture.