The
of the United States came from all over the world. However, the majority
of the immigrants came from Ireland, as you can see in the map below.
Many Irish people immigrated to the United States, and totaled to almost 40%
of the United States immigration between 1820 and 1860. The Irish fled the
homeland because of a
.
Their main supply of food was the potato. The
killed almost 1 million people and forced many others to
.
Of the 31% of Germans who immigrated to the US, many of them settled in the mid-west. These Germans liked Wisconsin because the climate was perfect to grow oats. They also settled in Texas and grew crops there. Others settled in the city to take on jobs such as bakers, butchers, carpenters, printers, shoemakers, and tailors.
The Scandinavians
Many of the Scandinavians went to America to buy public land which sold for about $1.25 per acre. Their government had originally wanted to keep them from emigrating, but did not succeed. The Scandinavians made up about 1% of the immigration.