19th Century German Immigration Essay

1070 Words3 Pages

Emigration was not uncommon in European history, and many citizens did emigrate to other countries, and for many, this was not an easy journey. One factor that greatly influenced the emigration process in the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century was an immigrants’ religion. Many European emigrants faced religious persecution, but very few left for this sole reason. The main reason was the lack of economic opportunity. For example, the Anabaptists left Germany, and greater Europe because they were being persecuted and martyred for their resistance against the draft, leaving the rest of the country with the impression that the Anabaptists were traitors and heretics (for not following the state religion). Also, due to political …show more content…

These accommodations included, where they were going to go, what they were going to take with or leave behind, or what possible conflicts could have risen. The decision of where to go was often influenced by the many pamphlets and books on various regions in the country and Wisconsin was fortunate enough to have both. The emigrants that held property would have had to liquidate their assets, and this money was often used to pay their fares and collect supplies necessary for the long journey. These supplies were often dried or smoked food and spices which would not spoil at sea (Strohschänk). The consequences that accompany any decision can have a large impact on the results. For German emigrants, some of these consequences included the conflicts due to their religious and government affiliations. Sometimes there were laws in place to dissuade emigration, such as the Prussian perjury law, and emigrants often had to risk becoming criminals in the eyes of their former country. When religious groups decided to emigrate from Europe together, whether this was to follow a religious leader, or to become missionaries, the organizers had to make arrangements that other emigrants did not. These leaders organized their migration to make the transition smoother, and this included raising the necessary funds to transport their large groups across the

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