Norwegian Immigration to
America in the 19th century
By Silje Moen and Silje R. Paulsen.
Institute of Teaching and
Development
Amherst, Massachusetts, 2009.
Why this topic?
• It is a part of our English curriculum:
“know about important features of history (and
geography) in the US“ (our translation).
• It is an important part of our national history.
• Some of the students have relatives who emigrated to
America.
• We think it is an interesting topic, that will capture and
motivate the students.
Context
• The students are 10th
graders, age 15-16
• Homogenous group
• The time frame we have
set is:
– four weeks
– three lessons a week
– 45 minutes per lesson
Objectives and goals
Learn about Norwegian
immigration to America in
the 19th century
– Who left?
– Why did they leave?
– The journey over the
Atlantic
– Ellis Island
– Where did they go?
– Daily life for the immigrants
Lesson Plan
• Starting point: A letter from America.
• Brainstorming in class about the subject immigration to
America.
• Introduction to the topic through PowerPoint led by the
teacher.
• Reading packet compiled from reading material in the
textbook and handouts from teacher.
• Visiting Ellis Island online: www.ellisisland.org
Students will have to find answers to questions prepared
by teacher.
…lesson plan continued
• Watch documentary “Forgotten Ellis Island” with group
discussion afterwards.
• Visit from students’ relatives with first hand
information/personal account (if possible).
• Dramatization: act out a scene from any part of the
immigrant experience.
• Written work: Choose one of the written assignments
and hand in for evaluation.
• This will cover our four basic skills of reading,
writing, listening and ICT in addition to reading
graphs and timelines.
Norwegian Immigration to
America in the 19th century
Historical background
• Between 1825 and 1925 about
800.000 Norwegians
emigrated to America.
• The first organized ship that
left Norway for America was
called the “Restauration”.
• It left Stavanger on July 4th,
1825.
• The ship was 18 m long with
only 1 m2 for each of the 52
passengers.
• The next organized trip was
not until 1836 and had 110
passengers.
Statistics
Who left?
• Family units with many
children from rural areas.
• More men than women.
• From the 1860s; younger,
unmarried individuals.
• Later on; men from the
cities.
• All social classes were
represented, but people
from the lower classes
were in majority.
Why did they leave?
• Push:
- Religious freedom.
- Economical reasons.
- Social reasons.
- Political reasons.
- Increasing population.
• Pull:
- “Land of opportunity and
freedom”.
- The Homestead Act,
1862.
- Adventure.
- Family reunions.
- Easier and cheaper
travel.
- “America letters”.
- Emigrant agents and ads.
The journey over the Atlantic
• In the beginning the journey
lasted for three months.
• The conditions were rough.
• Many got sick and a few even
died.
• They had to bring their own
food, but water and wood was
included in the price.
• The conditions improved
dramatically over the years.
• From sail to steam.
Statue of Liberty
”Give me your tired, your
poor, your huddled
masses yearning to
breathe free, the
wretched refuse of your
teeming shore, send
these, the homeless,
tempest-tossed to me, I
lift my lamp beside the
golden door!”
Emma Lazarus - 1888
The first American Experience
• Castle Garden, the first immigration station, received 12
million immigrants from 1820 through 1891.
• Over 100 million Americans can trace their ancestors to
this early immigration period.
• Ellis Island opened January 1st 1892 and is now the
most famous immigrant station. Today it is a museum.
• About 12 million went through the gates of Ellis Island in
the period between 1892 and 1924.
• Going through Ellis Island could be both an exciting,
scary and difficult experience.
• It closed for good in 1954.
Ellis Island
Ellis Island today
Isle of Hope – Isle of Tears
Isle of Hope and Isle of Tears
• Everyone who came to
Ellis Island were hoping
for a better life in
America…
• First and second class
passengers passed in a
matter of hours and had a
good experience…
• 355 babies were born in
Ellis Island but…
• …but not everybody
made it through,
approximately 2% were
excluded from entry.
• …while third and
steerage passengers had
bigger problems passing
through the gates.
• …3500 people died, 1400
of them children.
Where did they settle?
Where did they settle continued…
• Early Norwegian settlements were in
Pennsylvania and Illinois, but moved
westward into Wisconsin, Minnesota, and
the Dakotas.
• Later waves of Norwegian immigration
went to the Western states such as
Washington and Oregon, and Utah.
Norwegian Americans in 2000
Daily life of the immigrants
Useful links
•
•
•
•
www.castlegarden.org
www.ellisisland.org
www.norwayheritage.com
www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/mnstate
history/norwegian_migration.html
• www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAEnor
way.htm