German Immigration to the United States and Their Contribution to This Country
In the United States of North America ethnic groups are easily found everywhere. As a result, the American culture is a combination of many other cultures such as Irish, Latin, African, British, etc. However, one of the most significant of these is the German culture. German influence over this country is so strong that it goes through science, to architecture, to music, to sports and entertainment.
Germans left their homeland for several reasons such as, looking for an improved standard of living, and later looking for freedom from military connection and political oppression (1796-1815), etc. It is possible to say that Germans have been present in America since the United States belonged to Great Britain.
According to Eltis (2002), as many other immigrant groups, German immigrants constituted a small group; however, the members of this small crew were the pioneers of reasonably prosperous colonists. Their success and the communities that they built provided models for other German fellows. An important article available online (German Immigration, 1999) explains that one of the reasons why Germans left their homeland is the increasing industrialization and the use of machinery, which affected employment, driving Germans to urban areas in search of employment. Unfortunately, the cities became overcrowded very quickly and jobs declined as well, forcing some Germans to migrate to other countries such as the United States. Another reason for migration was that life in America was reasonably promising for Germans, especially, because of the increase in taxation, which affected the German economy. Therefore, an economical factor played an important role in German migration to the U.S. In addition, Germans’ unstable political situation (1848) was another factor that drove Germans to America, “…revolutions in opposition of the monarchical governments were springing up throughout Europe [...] the leaders of these revolutions wanted new, republican forms of
Germans left their homeland for several reasons such as, looking for an improved standard of living, and later looking for freedom from military connection and political oppression (1796-1815), etc. It is possible to say that Germans have been present in America since the United States belonged to Great Britain.
According to Eltis (2002), as many other immigrant groups, German immigrants constituted a small group; however, the members of this small crew were the pioneers of reasonably prosperous colonists. Their success and the communities that they built provided models for other German fellows. An important article available online (German Immigration, 1999) explains that one of the reasons why Germans left their homeland is the increasing industrialization and the use of machinery, which affected employment, driving Germans to urban areas in search of employment. Unfortunately, the cities became overcrowded very quickly and jobs declined as well, forcing some Germans to migrate to other countries such as the United States. Another reason for migration was that life in America was reasonably promising for Germans, especially, because of the increase in taxation, which affected the German economy. Therefore, an economical factor played an important role in German migration to the U.S. In addition, Germans’ unstable political situation (1848) was another factor that drove Germans to America, “…revolutions in opposition of the monarchical governments were springing up throughout Europe [...] the leaders of these revolutions wanted new, republican forms of