Nursery Rhymes

Swedish Immigration to America Timeline

The Swedes were amongst the earliest of the Europeans to settle in America. They colonized areas in the region that was named as New Sweden (Nya Sverige). The famous men involved in the colonization of New Sweden included Peter Minuit, Johan Printz and Peter Stuyvesant who are all referred to in the timeline.

The History Timeline of Swedish Immigration to America includes important dates and events in the history of Sweden that contributed to the push and pull factors which led to mass immigration from Sweden.

Swedish Immigration to America Timeline
Famous historical events include the establishment of the Colony of New Sweden, the ousting of Swedes in Manhattan and Ellis Isand. The Swedish migration to America Timeline highlights the Push and Pull factors of immigration such as political and religious persecution, wars that occured in Sweden together with dates of any natural disasters such as floods, plague, crop failures and famine.

Swedish Immigration to America Timeline
Between 1820 - 2000 Swedish Immigration to America totalled 1 million.

According to the US Bureau of the Census of 2011 a total of 4,211,644 Americans claimed to be solely or partially of Swedish descent. Swedish-Americans made a significant impact on the culture of Americans and the history of the United States as can be seen in the following timeline detailing these immigrants to America.



The Vikings from Scandinavia begin their raids but declined with the Christianization of Sweden.



The famous Norse explorer, Leif Ericson, is believed to have visited the New World.



Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Reformation and the new ideas replaced the Catholic religion in Sweden to Protestantism.



The government appointed the Swedish West India Company and the services of Peter Minuit (1580 – 1638) to establish New Sweden.



A group of fifty Swedish and Finnish colonists established the first small colony in Delaware Bay they called New Sweden (Nya Sverige). Johan Printz (1592 - 1663) was appointed Swedish military officer and colonial governor of New Sweden.



Peter Stuyvesant, the governor of New Netherlands, attacked and conquered New Sweden.



The colony of New Sweden (Nya Sverige) was assimilated into the colonies of Delaware and Pennsylvania.



A devastating famine followed by disease hit Sweden killing 80 000 – 100 000 people.



Famine in Sweden in which the death rate rose to 52.5 per thousand population.



The American War of Independence began. Many Swedes fought with the American colonists including Count Axel von Fersen, a distinguished soldier who also acted as an interpreter for George Washington.



Crop failures and the potato blight led to hunger and poverty and a major wave of immigrants from Sweden.



Disillusioned Swedish revolutionaries, known as the the Forty-Eighters, emigrate to avoid political persecution.



The American Civil War (1861 to 1865) halted the number of immigrants to the US.



The devastating Famine of 1866–1868 aka "the Great Hunger Years" (suuret nälkävuodet) led to a surge in emigration.



The financial 'Panic of 1873' in the US led to the 6 year period called the 'Long Depression' that led to riots, strikes and an increase in anti-immigrant sentiments.



The nation recovered from the economic crisis which led to an explosion of immigrants to the US. Industries were booming due the Industrialization of America.



The Great Migration. The last wave of Swedish immigration between 1880 - 1890 as 485 000 emigrated to the United States.



Between 1881 - 1890 5,246,613 immigrants gained entry to the United States and pressure mounted to pass restrictive immigration laws.



The 1891 Immigration Act provided for the regulation of immigration and the inspection and deportation of immigrants.



The Ellis Island immigration center was opened where immigrants from Europe, including Sweden, were required to undergo medical and legal examinations. Preference was shown to the "Old Immigrants" and few Swedes were turned away.



Swedish Immigration to America has declined from this time

Swedish Immigration to America Timeline

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