German Americans In The 18th Century
The German Protestants were a group of religious people who sought refuge in the New World away from the fighting and hate in Germany. The Germans first started to go to the New World in the 17th century to get away from religious persecution, and started to build their colonies with the help of pre-existing colonies. German Protestants were an interesting group of people because of why they wanted to leave Germany, when and where they went to the New World, and how they set up their colonies.
In the first half of the 1500s, Martin Luther started his reform movement of the Roman Catholic Church, which caused political and religious issues for the Germans. Early in Luther’s reform, he won the support of local German burghers, peasants, and knights. …show more content…
From 1671 to 1677, a Quaker man named William Penn wandered throughout Germany spreading the word about his faith to the people. He preached to the Germans that if they went to his Pennsylvania colony, they would be given religious freedom. Penn was able to convince a large group of Germans to follow him back to the New World, known as the Mennonites. In the New World, the Mennonites bought approximately 43,000 acres of land that was located 6 miles north of the developing city Philadelphia, which became known as Germantown in 1683. After its establishment, Germantown brought more Germans over to the New World and became the majority of German immigration. The second major case of German immigration, due to religious persecution, happened in first half of the 1700’s. In 1731, German Protestants were exiled from their homes in Salzburg, Austria by a Catholic Archbishop. Now that the exiles had no home, they needed someplace to go. Some German exiles moved to nearby protestant countries that would allow them and their faith. Other exiles decided to immigrate to the New World. Unlike most Germans, they did not go straight to Germantown or somewhere near it, but instead traveled to Georgia. The German exiles in Georgia got permission from Governor Oglethorpe to take refuge in a new colony 25 miles north of Savannah. The Germans arrived at the newly established colony, named Ebenezer, in
In the first half of the 1500s, Martin Luther started his reform movement of the Roman Catholic Church, which caused political and religious issues for the Germans. Early in Luther’s reform, he won the support of local German burghers, peasants, and knights. …show more content…
From 1671 to 1677, a Quaker man named William Penn wandered throughout Germany spreading the word about his faith to the people. He preached to the Germans that if they went to his Pennsylvania colony, they would be given religious freedom. Penn was able to convince a large group of Germans to follow him back to the New World, known as the Mennonites. In the New World, the Mennonites bought approximately 43,000 acres of land that was located 6 miles north of the developing city Philadelphia, which became known as Germantown in 1683. After its establishment, Germantown brought more Germans over to the New World and became the majority of German immigration. The second major case of German immigration, due to religious persecution, happened in first half of the 1700’s. In 1731, German Protestants were exiled from their homes in Salzburg, Austria by a Catholic Archbishop. Now that the exiles had no home, they needed someplace to go. Some German exiles moved to nearby protestant countries that would allow them and their faith. Other exiles decided to immigrate to the New World. Unlike most Germans, they did not go straight to Germantown or somewhere near it, but instead traveled to Georgia. The German exiles in Georgia got permission from Governor Oglethorpe to take refuge in a new colony 25 miles north of Savannah. The Germans arrived at the newly established colony, named Ebenezer, in