Who were the first German settlers in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania German. Their immigration began with the Mennonite Francis Daniel Pastorius, who in 1683 led a group of German Quakers to Philadelphia, where they founded Germantown, the pioneer German settlement. The early German settlers were for the most part Mennonite s, Amish, Dunkers (or German Baptists), Schwenckfelders,...
Who was the first German to settle in America?
Seeking religious freedom, Mennonite Francis Daniel Pastorious led a group from Krefeld, Germany, to Pennsylvania in 1683 and founded Germantown, the pioneer German settlement in America and now part of the city of Philadelphia. Numerous other German groups followed, and by the American Revolution there were...
What is the history of the German community in Philadelphia?
Our History. Since its founding in 1764, The German Society of Pennsylvania has served Philadelphia's German community. Between the 1680s and the American Revolution, the majority of an estimated 100,000 German-speaking immigrants coming to North America settled in Pennsylvania, making up a third of Philadelphia's population by the 1760s.
What was the first permanent settlement in Pennsylvania?
This marks the first permanent settlement by Europeans in Pennsylvania. In 1655, Dutch troops, under the command of Governor Peter Stuyvesant of New Amsterdam (New York), took control of the Swedish colony and held it until the British Duke of York seized control of it and all of New Amsterdam in 1664.
When did Germans first settle in Pennsylvania?
1683In 1683, a group of Quakers and Mennonites from the Krefeld region of the Rhineland founded the city of Germantown, the first recorded German settlement in the English colonies.
Why did German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania?
In all, some 65,000 German-speaking immigrants settled in Pennsylvania prior to the American Revolution. Some German migrants fled intolerance and persecution, and others sought the economic and social freedom imbued in William Penn's promise of toleration.
Where did German immigrants settle in Pennsylvania?
Their immigration began with the Mennonite Francis Daniel Pastorius, who in 1683 led a group of German Quakers to Philadelphia, where they founded Germantown, the pioneer German settlement.
Where did the Pennsylvania Germans come from?
The Pennsylvania Dutch (also called Pennsylvania Germans or Pennsylvania Deutsch) are descendants of early German immigrants to Pennsylvania who arrived in droves, mostly before 1800, to escape religious persecution in Europe.
Are Pennsylvania Dutch German or Dutch?
The Pennsylvania Dutch are descendants of early German-speaking immigrants who arrived in Pennsylvania in the 1700s and 1800s to escape religious persecution in Europe. They were made of up German Reformed, Mennonite, Lutheran, Moravian and other religious groups and came from areas within the Holy Roman Empire.
Are Amish German or Dutch?
While most Amish and Old Order Mennonites are of Swiss ancestry, nearly all speak Pennsylvania Dutch, an American language that developed in rural areas of southeastern and central Pennsylvania during the 18th century.
Why does Pennsylvania have so many Germans?
The devastation of the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and the wars between the German principalities and France caused some of the immigration of Germans to America from the Rhine area. Members of this group founded the borough of Germantown, in northwest Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, in 1683.
What part of America did Germans settle?
The Germans had little choice — few other places besides the United States allowed German immigration. Unlike the Irish, many Germans had enough money to journey to the Midwest in search of farmland and work. The largest settlements of Germans were in New York City, Baltimore, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Milwaukee.
Which state has the most German descent?
Pennsylvania, with 3.5 million people of German ancestry, has the largest population of German-Americans in the U.S. and is home to one of the group's original settlements, Germantown (Philadelphia), founded in 1683 and the birthplace of the American antislavery movement in 1688, as well as the revolutionary Battle of ...
Are Dutch and German the same race?
The Dutch (Dutch: Nederlanders) are a Germanic ethnic group and nation native to the Netherlands. They share a common ancestry and culture and speak the Dutch language....Dutch people.NederlandersGermany257,000Belgium121,000New Zealand100,000France60,00038 more rows
Where in Germany did the Amish come from?
Most of today's Amish forebears emigrated from the German Palatinate region during the 100 years between the early 18th century and the early 19th century. The German Pfalz region is not merely Rheinland-Pfalz, but also reaches into Alsace, which was German until World War I.
What immigrant groups settled Pennsylvania?
In the 1870s, Pennsylvania attracted large numbers of immigrants from southern and eastern Europe. These included Slavs, Poles, Italians, Jews, Russians, and Greeks. During the 19th and especially the 20th centuries, African Americans from the southern states also moved to Pennsylvania in large numbers.
Where did most German immigrants settle?
The largest settlements of Germans were in New York City, Baltimore, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Milwaukee. With the vast numbers of German and Irish coming to America, hostility to them erupted.
Why did Germans come to Philadelphia?
1683 - Thirteen families of German Mennonites seeking religious freedom arrived in Pennsylvania; led by Franz Pastorius, they purchased 43,000 acres of land and founded Germantown, six miles north of Philadelphia.
What were the Germans attracted to in Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Germans, many of whom had been persecuted in their native land, were attracted to Pennsylvania by the liberal and tolerant principles of William Penn’s government. Their immigration began with the Mennonite Francis Daniel Pastorius, who in 1683 led a group of German Quakers to Philadelphia, where they founded Germantown, the pioneer German settlement. The early German settlers were for the most part Mennonites, Amish, Dunkers (or German Baptists), Schwenckfelders, and Moravians (seeMoravian church). After 1727 the immigrants were mostly members of the larger Lutheran and Reformed churches. Their farming skills made their region of settlement a rich agricultural area. By the time of the American Revolutionthey numbered about 100,000, more than a third of Pennsylvania’s population.
What were the immigrants in Pennsylvania after 1727?
After 1727 the immigrants were mostly members of the larger Lutheran and Reformed churches. Their farming skills made their region of settlement a rich agricultural area. By the time of the American Revolution they numbered about 100,000, more than a third of Pennsylvania’s population.
What do Pennsylvania Germans wear?
Many Pennsylvania Germans are thoroughly assimilated, though they may retain elements of their traditional culturesuch as special cookery (e.g., shoofly pie, an extremely sweet pie made with molasses and brown sugar) and a decorative tradition known as fraktur (which blends calligraphic and pictorial elements). Some groups, such as the Old Order Amish, wear plain, modest clothing and head coverings and drive horse-drawn buggies. Men wear beards (but not mustaches) after they marry. They live according to relatively strict religious principles.
What is Pennsylvania Dutch?
Pennsylvania German, also called (misleadingly) Pennsylvania Dutch, 17th- and 18th-century German-speaking settlers in Pennsylvania and their descendants.
Where do the settlers live?
Their descendants, some of whom participate only reluctantly in modern life, live mainly in Northampton, Berks, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Bucks, York, and other counties of Pennsylvania, as well as in Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Virginia, West Virginia, and Florida.
What is the dialect of Pennsylvania?
Some groups—especially those who remain apart—still speak (in addition to English) a German dialect known as Pennsylvania Dutch or Pennsylvania German, a blending of High German (in reference to the altitude of their natal region), various German dialects, and English.
When did the first people settle in Pennsylvania?
Archaeologists generally believe that the first settlement of the Americas occurred at least 15,000 years ago during the last glacial period, though it is unclear when humans first entered the area known as Pennsylvania. There is an open debate in the archaeological community regarding when the ancestors of Native Americans expanded across the two continents down to the tip of South America, with possibilities ranging between 30,000 and 10,500 years ago. The Meadowcroft Rockshelter contains the earliest known signs of human activity in Pennsylvania, and perhaps all of North America, as it contains the remains of a civilization that existed over 10,000 years ago and possibly pre-dated the Clovis culture. By 1000 C.E., in contrast to their nomadic hunter-gatherer ancestors, the native population of Pennsylvania had developed agricultural techniques and a mixed food economy.
What is the birth of Pennsylvania?
Aspect of history. The Birth of Pennsylvania depicts William Penn receiving a royal deed from King Charles II of England. Penn founded the colony in 1681 as a refuge for Quakers. The history of Pennsylvania begins in 1681 when William Penn received a royal deed from King Charles II of England, although human activity in the region precedes ...
What was the main motivation for the Europeans to colonize North America?
Even before large-scale European settlement, the Native American tribes in Pennsylvania engaged in trade with Europeans, and the fur trade was a major motivation for the European colonization of North America.
What was the significance of Pennsylvania?
The state played an important role in the Union's victory in the American Civil War.
What was the role of Philadelphia in the American Revolution?
Pennsylvania played a central role in the American Revolution, and Philadelphia served as the nation's capital for a portion of the 18th century. It was the second most populous state in the country from the 18th century into the 20th century, and Philadelphia was the second most populous city in the nation.
When was Pennsylvania State University founded?
Two of Pennsylvania's largest public schools were founded in the mid-to-late 19th century. The Pennsylvania State University was founded in 1855, and in 1863 the school became Pennsylvania's land-grant university under the terms of the Morrill Land-Grant Acts.
When did Pennsylvania ratify the Constitution?
Pennsylvania ratified the U.S. Constitution on December 12, 1787, and was the second state to do so after Delaware. The Constitution took effect after eleven states had ratified the document in 1788, and George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States on March 4, 1789.
What is the German Society of Philadelphia?
The German Society of Pennsylania. Since its founding in 1764, The German Society of Pennsylvania has served Philadelphia's German community. Between the 1680s and the American Revolution, the majority of an estimated 100,000 German-speaking immigrants coming to North America settled in Pennsylvania, making up a third of Philadelphia's population ...
What was the German Society in the 1800s?
During the 1800s, the Society continued its support for immigrants in need while also increasingly sponsoring activities to preserve and promote German traditions and customs. Today, the Society's membership and programs are open to anyone with an interest in the German language and culture. Charity. Initially, the Society focused its activities on ...
What happened to the German Society after 1945?
After 1945, a surge in immigration from Germany reinvigorated the Society and completed its transformation into a cultural heritage organization . The German Society Today.
What caused the decline in German membership?
Still, the fear of being identified as “un-American” caused a sharp drop in membership. After 1919, Prohibition devastated the local German brewing industry and ended many of the social customs that German-Americans had enjoyed.
Where was the first permanent settlement in Pennsylvania?
In 1643, Governor Johan Printz arrived and built Fort Elfsborg and Fort New Gothenburg at Tinicum Island, nearby today’s Philadelphia airport. A small park with a statue to Printz commemorates the location. This marks the first permanent settlement by Europeans in Pennsylvania.
Why did the king change the name of Pennsylvania?
The king changed the name to Pennsylvania, in honor of the admiral. The founding of Pennsylvania, about 40,000 square miles, was confirmed to William Penn under the Great Seal on January 5, 1681. Penn induced people to emigrate, the terms being 40 shillings per hundred acres, and "shares" of 5,000 acres for 100 pounds.
What did Penn do with the Leni Lenape?
Within a few days Penn made a treaty with the Leni Lenape to purchase his grant of land from them, even though there was no law requiring him to do so. The treaty's duration was for "as long as water flows and the sun shines and grass grows." Penn and Taminend, Leni Lenape chief, exchanged wampum belts under the Shackamaxon elm in Philadelphia.
Where did the Leni Lenape Chief exchange wampum belts?
Penn and Taminend, Leni Lenape chief, exchanged wampum belts under the Shackamaxon elm in Philadelphia. A plain and simple monument stands in Shackamaxon, at Penn Treaty Park, in Kensington, a modest memorial of a momentous act, the spot where was signed an unbroken treaty.
When did William Penn set sail?
William Penn set sail from England in August, 1682, with Captain Greenway, in the ship Welcome. The ship was filled with additional passengers, mostly Quakers, with good estates. They arrived at New Castle on October 27, 1682, the next day arriving at Philadelphia. Penn and his friends came up from Chester in an open boat and landed on the low and sandy beach at Dock Creek, it is believed. Penn at that time was 38 years of age.
Who was the first person to visit Delaware Bay?
In 1610 Virginian Captain Samuel Argall visited Delaware Bay (he named it for Lord de la Warr, governor of Virginia). Dutch navigator Cornelis Jacobszoon May was provided a patent to explore the Delaware region more thoroughly and Dutch trading posts were established up and down the Delaware Bay starting in 1620.
Who was the deputy governor of England in 1684?
Penn returned to England in 1684, but shortly thereafter conflicts arose between the upper and lower houses. A deputy governor, Captain John Blackwell, was assigned, but shortly he resigned.
When was Germantown founded?
Germantown was founded by German settlers, thirteen Quaker and Mennonite families from Krefeld (Germany), [1] [2] in 1681. Today the founding day of Germantown on October 6, 1683, is remembered as German-American Day, a holiday in the United States, observed annually on October 6.
When is German American Day?
German-American Day is a holiday in the United States, observed annually on October 6. The holiday, which celebrates German American heritage, commemorates the date in 1683 when 13 German families from Krefeld near the Rhine landed in Philadelphia. These families subsequently founded Germantown, Pennsylvania, the first German settlement in the original thirteen American colonies. [1] Originally celebrated in the nineteenth century, German-American Day died out in World War I as a result of the anti-German sentiment that prevailed at the time. The holiday was revived in 1983. ( German-American Day ).
What was the area of the Germans that settlers came to?
When the Germans came to Loudoun county in an organized capacity as actual settlers, it was a vast unbroken forest, but there was substantial evidence that explorers had penetrated the wilderness many years earlier. As early as 1667, Captain Henry Bath, a German explorer and Indian trader, had traveled from the tidewater on the Potomac River crossing the Allegheny Mountains to the Ohio River, and passing through this section. At that period Virginia was rich in furs, and attracted the trappers and traders. Catoctin Creek, the largest stream in the county, was the home of the beaver. A few adventurous spirits, Germans, who followed trapping for a living made their abode on that creek and reaped a rich harvest.
How much did land cost in the German settlement?
These public improvements not only brought a market to the very doors of the German settlement, but created a new demand for land. Before, land could be bought at from ten to twenty dollars per acre, but after the canal and railroad had been completed the same land brought from twenty to fifty dollars per acre.
What was the home of the beaver in Virginia?
At that period Virginia was rich in furs, and attracted the trappers and traders. Catoctin Creek, the largest stream in the county, was the home of the beaver. A few adventurous spirits, Germans, who followed trapping for a living made their abode on that creek and reaped a rich harvest.
What was the first time the Confederates invaded Maryland?
In September, 1862 , when the Confederates for the first time invaded Maryland, they supposed the Marylanders were eager to rally to their standard, and it has always surprised them that they did not, but the explanation is easy. General Lee, the Rebel commander, entered Frederick, the Germany of Maryland, and issued that famous proclamation declaring that he had brought liberty and protection to their homes – while his soldiers were busy in plundering their storehouses and driving off their stock. His call on the Marylanders to enlist under the banner of the Rebellion fell upon deaf ears, the German love for liberty being too strong to be so easily deceived. There were too many Barbara Fritchies in Frederick. Probably not more than a baker’s dozen of the Germans responded, while fully ten thousand of them enlisted under the Union banner.
Why did the Germans come to America?
The Germans did not come to America for worldly gain, but for a home, where they could dwell under their own vine and fig-tree, with none to molest or make them afraid. Probably no nationality gets as much comfort out of the home as the Germans do. To them the home was the nucleus around which grew the state that later developed and broadened into the Nation; hence the Germans were nationbuilders as well.
When did Lutheran Church in Loudoun County start?
But little progress seems to have been made with the Lutheran Church in Loudoun county until about 1765 , when, under the pastorate of Rev.Schwerdfeger, a log church and school house were erected on the ground now occupied by the New Jerusalem church and cemetery, the land originally donated by Lord Fairfax. This seems to have been the beginning of regular church services by stated pastors, and continued ever since.This church had brief pastorates of Rev. Hartwick and Rev. Sartorius.
Where did the Germans of Loudoun come from?
That the Germans of Loudoun county came from Pennsylvania can not be doubted. In the first place, many of the names in Berks and York counties, Pennsylvania, are the same as those in Loudoun county, Virginia.
How many Germans were in Pennsylvania during the American Revolution?
Numerous other German groups followed, and by the American Revolution there were 100,000 Germans in William Penn’s former colony, more than a third of Pennsylvania’s total population at the time.
Where did the Mennonites come from?
First Mennonites arrive in America. Encouraged by William Penn’s offer of 5,000 acres of land in the colony of Pennsylvania and the freedom to practice their religion, the first Mennonites arrive in America aboard the Concord. They were among the first Germans to settle in the American colonies. The Mennonites, members of a Christian sect founded ...
Who were the Mennonites?
The Mennonites, members of a Christian sect founded by Menno Simons in the 16th century, were widely persecuted in Europe. Seeking religious freedom, Mennonite Francis Daniel Pastorious led a group from Krefeld, Germany, to Pennsylvania in 1683 and founded Germantown, the pioneer German settlement in America and now part of the city of Philadelphia.
When did Austria-Hungary annex Bosnia?
On October 6, 1908, the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary announces its annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, dual provinces in the Balkan region of Europe formerly under the control of the Ottoman Empire. Though Bosnia and Herzegovina were still nominally under the control of the ...read more
Overview
Early colonization
Long-term European exploration of the Americas commenced after the 1492 expedition of Christopher Columbus, and the 1497 expedition of John Cabot is credited with discovering continental North America for Europeans. European exploration of North America continued in the 16th century, and the area now known as Pennsylvania was mapped by the French and labeled L'arcadia, or "wooded coast", during Giovanni da Verrazzano's voyage in 1524. Even before larg…
Pre-Columbian era
Pennsylvania's history of human habitation extends to thousands of years before the foundation of the Province of Pennsylvania. Archaeologists generally believe that the first settlement of the Americas occurred at least 15,000 years ago during the last glacial period, though it is unclear when humans first entered the area known as Pennsylvania. There is an open debate in the archaeological community regarding when the ancestors of Native Americans expanded across …
Colonial period
On March 4, 1681, Charles II of England granted the Province of Pennsylvania to William Penn to settle a debt of £16,000 (around £2,100,000 in 2008, adjusting for retail inflation) that the king owed to Penn's father. Penn founded a proprietary colony that provided a place of religious freedom for Quakers. Charles named the colony Pennsylvania ("Penn's woods" in Latin), after the elder Penn, which the younger Penn found embarrassing, as he feared people would think he had na…
American Revolution and early government
Pennsylvania's residents generally supported the protests common to all 13 colonies after the Proclamation of 1763 and the Stamp Act were passed, and Pennsylvania sent delegates to the Stamp Act Congress in 1765 Philadelphia hosted the first and second Continental Congresses, the latter of which resulted in the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in Independence Hall in 1776. Pennsylvania was the site of several battles and military activities during the American Rev…
Westward expansion and land speculation
Pennsylvania's borders took definitive shape in the decades before and after the Revolutionary War. The Mason–Dixon line established the borders between Pennsylvania and Maryland, and was later extended to serve as the border between Pennsylvania and Virginia (except for what is now West Virginia's northern panhandle). Although some settlers proposed the creation of the state of Westsylvania in the area that now contains Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania retained control of the regio…
Early 19th century
Pennsylvania, one of the largest states in the country, always had the second most electoral votes from 1796 to 1960. From 1789 to 1880, the state only voted for two losing presidential candidates: Thomas Jefferson (in 1796) and Andrew Jackson (in the unusual 1824 election). The Democratic-Republicans dominated the state for most of the First Party System, as the Federalists experienced little success in the state after the 1800 election. Pennsylvania generally supported Andrew Jacks…
Civil War
Prior to and during the Civil War, Pennsylvania was a divided state. Although Pennsylvania had outlawed slavery, many conservative Pennsylvanians believed that the federal government should not interfere with the institution of slavery. One such individual was Democrat James Buchanan, the last pre-Civil War president. Buchanan's party had generally won presidential and gubernatorial elections in Pennsylvania. However, the nascent Republican Party's first convention took place in …