Where did Swedes settle in Colonial America?

Where did Swedes settle in Colonial America?

Sweden established colonies in the Americas in the mid-17th century, including the colony of New Sweden (1638–1655) on the Delaware River in what is now Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, as well as two possessions in the Caribbean during the 18th and 19th centuries.

What were the 2 main reasons for settlers to come to America?

Colonists came to America because they wanted political liberty. They wanted religious freedom and economic opportunity.

Did Sweden have colonies in America?

For nearly 20 years in the 17th century, Sweden had a little-known colony that spanned parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The upstart settlement dates to the early 17th century, when the great powers of Europe were all scrambling to plant their flags in North America.

Where did the settlers of the Swedish colonies come from?

At the time (until 1809) Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden, and some of the settlers of Sweden’s colonies came from present-day Finland or were Finnish -speaking. The Swedes and Finns brought their log house design to America, where it became the typical log cabin of pioneers.

What was the history of Swedish immigration to America?

History of Swedish Immigration to America: The Major Waves of Swedish Immigration. The history of Swedish Immigration to America began as the first explorers, traders and colonists arrived in the New World. The Swedish settled the colony in America they called New Sweden (Nya Sverige).

Why did Sweden come to the United States?

Swedish immigration was highest between 1867 and 1914 due to poor local economic conditions in Sweden and the availability of cheap land in the American west. At the peak of immigration in the 1880s, an average of 37,000 Swedes came to the United States each year.

Is there a Swedish colony in the United States?

Most Americans are familiar with France, Spain, Holland and England’s colonial history in the United States, but lesser-known is New Sweden, a Swedish holding that once spanned parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.