how were norwegian settlements laid out

Islands: Some of the Norwegian smaller settlements were scattered throughout the United States and were separate from the main body of where Norwegians settled. One was the Oleana colony in Pennsylvania, an idealistic venture that did not succeed. Others, like the early Texas colony, were the creations of single individuals, imbued with an idea.

Full Answer

Where did the Norwegians settle in the United States?

The majority of the Norwegians in the United States settled in the upper Mississippi and Missouri valley. With the Fox River settlement in northern Illinois as an apex, settlement spread into a fan-shaped area westward, northwestward, and northward. 2.

Who were the first Norwegian settlers in the New World?

Another of the first Norwegian settlers was Albert Andriessen Bradt who arrived in New Amsterdam in 1637. Pieter Van Brugh, Mayor of Albany, New York was the grandson of Norwegian immigrants.

What were Viking settlements made out of?

Structures in Viking settlements—dwellings, storage facilities, and barns—were built with stone foundations and had walls made of stone, peat, sod turfs, wood, or a combination of these materials.

What was the first organized emigration from Norway to America?

Eventually, part of the group traveled on to Illinois and Wisconsin. Though other Norwegians (mainly sailors) emigrated at earlier dates, the Restauration was the first organized emigration from Norway to America

How was Norway settled?

People began settling in Norway very early - in 9000 BC, in fact. This was after the end of the first ice age, so it was now an inhabitable location. Settlers survived by hunting and fishing animals such as seal, deer, elk and whales. Farming didn't become prominent until 500 BC, which was known as the bronze age.

Where did most Norwegians settle?

These immigrants, mostly rural families, made their way to the newly-opened lands of the Midwest, settling in Minnesota and Wisconsin, then moving west to Iowa, the Dakotas and sometimes the Pacific Coast.

What did Viking settlements consist of?

The Vikings originated from the area that became modern-day Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. They settled in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Iceland, Greenland, North America, and parts of the European mainland, among other places.

Why did so many Norwegians leave Norway?

One of the most consequential reasons why Norwegians chose to leave was overpopulation. Between 1800 to 1850, the Norwegian population increased by 59%, and in the fifty years following that it increased at the same rapid rate. [1] The Norway's urban population did not substantially increase by comparison.

What are common Norwegian last names?

The statistics: Most popular Norwegian surnamesHansen (53,011)Johansen (50,088)Olsen (49,303)Larsen (37,869)Andersen (37,025)Pedersen (35,145)Nilsen (34,734)Kristiansen (23,397)More items...•

Why did so many Norwegians settle in Minnesota?

The land scarcity and famines that had pushed entire families to leave rural Norway had subsided, and young men from Norway's cities now came in droves to Minnesota seeking better-paying employment. As railroad lines reduced the time needed to travel through the state, homestead properties were quickly snapped up.

How were houses built in Viking towns?

Across the Viking world, most houses had timber frames but, where wood was scarce, stone and turf were also used as construction materials. The walls were often made of wattle and daub or timber planking, with a grass roof. The floor was either flagged with stones or beaten earth.

What did a Viking settlement look like?

They lived in long rectangular houses made with upright timbers (wood). The walls were made of wattle (woven sticks, covered with mud to keep out the wind and rain). Viking houses were often one room homes with a cooking fire in the middle. The smoke escaped through a hole in the roof.

Did Viking settlements have walls?

Viking houses were built of wood. The longhouses had bowed walls in plan, forming a ship-like outline. The walls were lined with clay or consisted of wooden planks placed vertically into the ground, which supported the roof, along with two rows of internal posts. Outside the house was often supported by sloping posts.

What do Norwegians call Norway?

NorgeNorway has two official names: Norge in Bokmål and Noreg in Nynorsk.

Which US state has the most Norwegians?

30.8% of the population in the U.S. state of North Dakota is of Norwegian ancestry....Percent of Norwegian Americans.StateNorwegian AmericanPercent Norwegian AmericanUnited States4,642,5261.5%Minnesota868,36116.5%Wisconsin466,4698.2%22 more rows

What nationality is Norwegian?

Norwegians (Norwegian: nordmenn) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nation native to Norway, where they form the vast majority of the population.

Are there more Norwegians in Minnesota than Norway?

Minneapolis has the largest concentration of Norwegians outside Norway, at 42,469.

When did most Norwegians come to America?

In the peak year of 1882, 28,000 people emigrated. From then until the 1920s, about 800,000 people emigrated to American in total. A quarter of the emigrants eventually returned home, although that was not only a Norwegian phenomenon.

Where do most Norwegian immigrants come from?

In 2017, 41.2% of the total immigrant population in Norway were from countries in the EU or EEA. 32.4% were from Asia including Turkey, and 13.7% were from Africa. The remaining 12.7% were from European countries not in the EU or EEA, North America, South America and Oceania.

What is the most Norwegian town in America?

While the Twin Cities are home to the most Norwegian Americans today, Duluth was the capital of Scandinavian immigration for many decades. By 1900, approximately 7,500 Norwegian immigrants and their children called Duluth their home.

Where did the Norwegians settle in 1850?

1850: 13,000 Norwegian Americans are counted in the US Census. 1850: A dozen families that moved west from Dane County, Wisconsin, are the first Norwegian settlers in Winneshiek County. 1851: First settlers arrive in Waterloo Township. 1852: Influx of Norwegians settle in Highland Township. 1854-1856: Anti-immigrant sentiment in America reaches ...

Where did the Norwegians migrate to?

Though other Norwegians (mainly sailors) emigrated at earlier dates, the Restauration was the first organized emigration from Norway to America.

How many Norwegians were in the US in 1865?

1865: 80,000 Norwegian Americans are counted in the US Census. 1865-1873: End of the US Civil War leads to first major wave of Norwegian emigration, with 110,000 Norwegians crossing in this period. Transatlantic steamships and reformed immigrant passenger laws provide improved conditions for emigrants, and the average crossing time is cut by more ...

What act established immigration limits per country?

1921: The Emergency Quota Act establishes immigration limits per country. The following Immigration Act of 1924 establishes a quota proportional to the foreign-born populations in the 1920 census.

How many Norwegian Americans were in the US census in 1910?

1910: One million Norwegian Americans are counted in the US Census

What happened in 1848?

1848: Wisconsin becomes the 30th state in the Union. 1849: Minnesota Territory is incorporated. 1849: British government repeals the Navigation Acts, enabling boats to carry freight from Canada (still a British colony) back to Norway.

When did Cleng Peerson travel to America?

1821: Cleng Peerson travels to America as an agent for hopeful emigrants; returns briefly to Norway in 1824 impart what he has learned about America

What were the characteristics of a Viking settlement?

A model Viking settlement was located in a place near the coastline with reasonable boat access; a flat, well-drained area for a farmstead; and extensive grazing areas for domestic animals.

When did the Vikings establish their homes?

K. Kris Hirst. Updated July 03, 2019. The Vikings who established homes in the lands they conquered during the 9th-11th centuries AD used a settlement pattern that was based primarily on their own Scandinavian cultural heritage.

How long was the Viking longhouse?

This longhouse was 20 meters (65 feet) in length and had an internal width of 5 meters (16 ft).

What were the main resources of the Norse?

Marine resources exploited by Norse colonists included seaweed, fish, shellfish, and whale.

What were the main fuels used in the Norse church?

Fuels used by the Norse for heating and cooking included peat, peaty turf, and wood. In addition to being used in heating and building construction, wood was the common fuel for iron smelting .

Where was Shieling practiced?

Shieling, the Scandinavian system of pasturage, was practiced in upland stations where livestock could be moved during summer seasons. Near the summer pastures, the Norse built small huts, byres, barns, stables, and fences.

What was the Norwegian culture in the Great Plains?

In addition to the church, two other organizations maintained and fostered Norwegian culture in the Great Plains. The bygdelag movement was a distinctive Norwegian organization formed by immigrant families and their descendants from a specific Norwegian valley, fjord area, or community district. They tended to be a rural phenomenon and to have a religious orientation. A strong attachment to the local Norwegian community from which they came was the major motivation behind the creation of the bygdelag. In contrast, the Sons of Norway tended to be an urban organization, a fraternal and secular society offering life insurance to its members. Clergy often attacked the Sons of Norway as a secret society similar to the Masonic order.

What was the Norwegian religion?

For most Norwegians religion played a central role in community and private life. The Norwegian state church was Lutheran, and in the Great Plains most Norwegians remained Lutheran. But this apparent source of cultural unity was also one of division, as Norwegians founded fourteen different Lutheran synods, or denominations, all claiming to be Lutheran. Many of these competing synods later merged into larger organizations that are now part of the multiethnic Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The different synods were maintained by an assertive and vigorous clergy who promoted an active cultural awareness.

Where did the Norwegians settle in the mid-1830s?

In the mid-1830s the Kendall settlers gave impetus to the westward movement of Norwegians by founding a settlement in the Fox River area of Illinois. A small urban colony of Norwegians had its genesis in Chicago at about the same time.

Where did Norwegian immigrants come from?

Norwegian Americans ( Bokmål: Norskamerikanere, Nynorsk: Norskamerikanarar) are Americans with ancestral roots in Norway. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the latter half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century.

Why did Norwegians migrate to America?

The earliest immigrants from Norway to America emigrated mostly for religious motives, as Religious Society of Friends and Haugeans. Organized Norwegian immigration to North America began in 1825, when several dozen Norwegians left Stavanger bound for North America on the sloop Restauration (often called the "Norse Mayflower ") under the leadership of Cleng Peerson. To a great extent, this early emigration from Norway was born out of religious persecution, especially for Quakers and a local religious group, the Haugianerne.

Why did the Dutch take Norwegians to the New World?

The Dutch often took Norwegians with them to the New World for their sailing expertise. Many immigrants during the early 1800s sought religious freedom.

How many homes received at least one Norwegian newspaper in 1910?

Over 600,000 homes received at least one Norwegian newspaper in 1910.

How many white people are Norwegian?

A little more than 2% of whites in the United States are of Norwegian descent. In the Upper Midwest, especially Minnesota, western Wisconsin, northern Iowa, northern Illinois, and the Dakotas, more than 15% of whites are of Norwegian descent. Nearly one-third of all North Dakotans claim Norwegian as their ancestry.

What was the largest population of Norwegian Americans in the United States in 1990?

In 1990, 51.7 percent of the Norwegian American population lived in the Midwest; Minnesota had the largest number.

1. Ny-Ålesund

Located on the Spitsbergen island in Svalbard archipelago of Norway at a latitude of 78°55' N, Ny-Ålesund is the country’s northernmost settlement. It is owned by a company named Kings Bay. 10 countries have been allowed to establish their research institutes in Ny-Ålesund. About 30 to 35 people live there at any given point of time.

2. Pyramiden

Pyramiden is an abandoned coal-mining settlement in Norway that is now being promoted as a tourist attraction. It is the country’s second northernmost settlement. Pyramiden is located at a latitude of 78°39' N in the Spitsbergen island of Norway. It derives its name from a nearby pyramid-shaped mountain.

3. Longyearbyen

The settlement of Longyearbyen is located at a latitude of 78°12' N in the Longyear Valley along the Adventfjorden in Svalbard, Norway. It is home to around 2,144 individuals. Longyearbyen was also founded as a coal mining base but today it is a hub of research and tourism.

4. Barentsburg

Barentsburg is Norway’s fourth northernmost settlement and the second biggest one on the Svalbard archipelago. It is located at latitude 78°04' N. It has a population of around 435 individuals. Nearly all of Barentsburg’s residents are ethnic Russians and Ukrainians.

5. Sveagruva

Located at 77°55' N, Sveagruva is the fifth northernmost Norwegian settlement. It is located in Svalbard at the Van Mijenfjord’s head. Although the place lacks any permanent residents, about 300 workers commute to Sveagruva on a daily or weekly basis for work. It is a mining town that is run by the Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani.

Viking Settlement Characteristics

See more on thoughtco.com

Landnám and Shieling

Farmsteads in The Faroe Islands

Toftanes: An Early Viking Farm in The Faroes

Other Viking Settlements

Sources