Why did so many Germans, especially farmers, emigrate to the U.S. during the 1800's?

Answer 1

North America had a lot of land that needed farming and them indians weren't using it except for hunting so somebody thought, "Hey, why not plow up that ground and plant something?"

The Westward movement resulted and today our government pays farmers not to plant (set-aside programs) crops.

Isn't America great!




g-day!

Answer 2

Most like my own grandparents from Poland, lived under a feudal system that was nothing less then being a slave. In Poland they were under more then one rule, never knowing who would be the next one to give the orders.
They didn't own their own lands, they were subject to the whims of the Rulers at the time and, there was always a war.

The United States offered them the hope of freedom, work, their own lands and the freedom to worship in a Church of their choice.

My grandmother and her sister walked across Europe barefooted, stole vegetables from gardens for food so they didn't have to spend their ship ticket money.

All of my relatives by the way, were carpenters, not farmers.

Answer 3

Germans immigrated to the United States for many reasons, including,
1) The dream of land ownership
2) An improved standard of living
3) Religious freedom both among Lutheran and Roman Catholic groups as well as Jews
4) Fear of compulsory military service
5) Political asylum

Answer 4

When the British hired Hessian mercenaries to fight in the Revolutionary War, those mercenaries paid attention to the land they were marching through and brought back stories of the richness of America. As living conditions worsened in the Germanic states and America maintained its independence, those stories led to families going to America.

One thing that wars do is they show the common soldier other parts of the country or world they would never have seen otherwise. One of the best lines in a World War I song is "How you going to keep 'em down on the farm after they've seen Paris?" After WWI, more Americans started traveling farther and more often than any other time in our history.

Answer 5

There were several reasons why that particular time period saw a surge in German immigrants. Germany at the time was undergoing significant poltical, geographic and economic upheaval. It was fighting wars such as the Austro Prussian War and Franco Prussian War to solidify its population under one government. Different principalities were being assimilated into the larger German state and many people fled to avoid conflict or persecution. Simultaneously, Germany was undergoing significant economic change. The agrarian, feudal society was giving way to industrialization, particularly the development of a steel industry. Peasants were being forced off the land and looked for greener pastures. America beckoned as a land of opportunity. The wide open spaces of the west, the advent of the Homestead Act in 1862 and record high prices and prosperity for farm goods attracted people to the dream of owning their own land. That dream, beyond the wildest imagination in Europe was a reality in America.
There were also some religious overtones that existed especially in the pre1860 era. Protestant vs Catholic, Protestant vs Protestant, Protestant vs Jew, Catholic vs Jew conflicts existed in Germany. Depending on the specific principality different religious groups set upon other groups and often encouraged them to leave.

Answer 6

Who wasn't farmer in 1800s?

Answer 7

Easier and cheaper land ownership, better soil, less of a chance of being forced off the land.

Answer 8

At that that, the state of the world was one of human mobility in search of opportunities and there was then increasing demand for labour in the US.