The Colonial Period
The colonial period was the first and earliest wave of countries immigrating into the United States. The colonial population was Anglo Saxon, as early American cultures were English. The colonial period consists of the Dutch, French, Welsh, Swedes and Jewish immigrants who came to America (Wittke, 1839).
The Dutch were the first to come over, arriving in 1609, after the influence of Henry Hudson who had introduced the Europeans to a flowing American stream named after him. In 1614, the Dutch started a fur trading post in Fort Orange. About ten years later, around 30 Dutch families had also emigrated from Holland and established home on what is now known as the Netherlands. After some time, the Dutch gave trading rights to the Dutch West India Company and an even larger Dutch settlement was created on Manhattan Island (Simkin, 1997).
The French immigration to the United States is credited to the French Huguenot, who influenced their destiny to become a part of the United Sates. It is said that 150 Huguenot families came over to Massachusetts and settled in Rhode Island and Maine as well. The French also made a profit in the trading market as well (Wittke, 1839).
The Welsh were among the earliest immigrants to settle in Pennsylvania. They came to America not only because of economic reasons, but in hopes that they would receive Welsh nationalism in America and to also preserve the language and customs of their culture. They established home on 40,000 acres west of Philadelphia. Most of the Welsh were farmers who continued their “small-scale” agriculture when they came to America (Wittke, 1839 p.34).
The Swedes were next to follow as their leader Gustavus Adolphus had “ambitious plans for overseas expansion” (Wittke, 1839 p.35). The Swedes immigrated to America and settled near Wilmington, Delaware, and named their new settlement “Christina” in honor of their young queen. Their leading vocation was in the fur and tobacco trade, which made them rivals with the Dutch and English.
The Jewish immigrant population was probably among the smallest, as their population didn’t quite exceed over 3,000. A large percentage of the Jewish immigrants were either of Spanish or Portuguese descent. When the Jews first arrived into the U.S, they passed through the harbor of New Amsterdam and established themselves in the Dutch colony while gaining recognition as they were able to trade and live with them in their established territory. In 1664 the Jews were able to establish their own cemetery and also rented a house in New York to start their own synagogue in 1682 (Wittke, 1839).
The Dutch were the first to come over, arriving in 1609, after the influence of Henry Hudson who had introduced the Europeans to a flowing American stream named after him. In 1614, the Dutch started a fur trading post in Fort Orange. About ten years later, around 30 Dutch families had also emigrated from Holland and established home on what is now known as the Netherlands. After some time, the Dutch gave trading rights to the Dutch West India Company and an even larger Dutch settlement was created on Manhattan Island (Simkin, 1997).
The French immigration to the United States is credited to the French Huguenot, who influenced their destiny to become a part of the United Sates. It is said that 150 Huguenot families came over to Massachusetts and settled in Rhode Island and Maine as well. The French also made a profit in the trading market as well (Wittke, 1839).
The Welsh were among the earliest immigrants to settle in Pennsylvania. They came to America not only because of economic reasons, but in hopes that they would receive Welsh nationalism in America and to also preserve the language and customs of their culture. They established home on 40,000 acres west of Philadelphia. Most of the Welsh were farmers who continued their “small-scale” agriculture when they came to America (Wittke, 1839 p.34).
The Swedes were next to follow as their leader Gustavus Adolphus had “ambitious plans for overseas expansion” (Wittke, 1839 p.35). The Swedes immigrated to America and settled near Wilmington, Delaware, and named their new settlement “Christina” in honor of their young queen. Their leading vocation was in the fur and tobacco trade, which made them rivals with the Dutch and English.
The Jewish immigrant population was probably among the smallest, as their population didn’t quite exceed over 3,000. A large percentage of the Jewish immigrants were either of Spanish or Portuguese descent. When the Jews first arrived into the U.S, they passed through the harbor of New Amsterdam and established themselves in the Dutch colony while gaining recognition as they were able to trade and live with them in their established territory. In 1664 the Jews were able to establish their own cemetery and also rented a house in New York to start their own synagogue in 1682 (Wittke, 1839).