Scandinavian-Americanism

Ewen's Immigrant Women in the Land of Dollars Throughout history, the concept of Americanization has been studied in order to better understand the effects of a mass culture on immigrants. On one side stands the view of an immigrant engulfed in American ideology who leaves behind his past. He conforms to this new individualism and now is able to move upward on the economic ladder. On the opposite end of defining Americanization is the unscathed immigrant who maintains his old word traditions and institutions to emerge

American culture has been referred to as a “melting pot.” Different cultures have added their own distinct aspects to society, making America a diverse country. Despite the plethora of cultures, certain norms, mores, and folkways are evident in American society. These ideas are vital to the function and stability of America. They provide guidelines for what is acceptable and not. In virtually every society, there are people who engage in deviant behavior and do not abide by the values that the rest of society follows. Theorists have debated if people are socialized into acting this way and if it is a social or personal problem. The sociological study of culture focuses on norms, mores, and folkways.

This essay is based on my recent visit to The Swedish American Museum located in the Andersonville community at 5211 S. Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois. In the 1850s the area was considered to be north of Foster and east of Clark was a large cherry orchard, and families had only begun to move into the fringes of what is now Andersonville. Swedish immigrants continued to arrive in Andersonville throughout the beginning of the 20th century. The Swedish American Museum was founded in 1976, by Kurt Mathiasson, as a grassroots effort to preserve and disseminate the history of the great contributions of early Swedish immigrants to Chicago.

Immigration is building block to the United States culture. For decades, the United States was viewed as a land of opportunity, a land of hope for those seeking a better life. In the ethnography Nuer Journeys, Nuer Lives written by Jon Hertzman describes the Nuer’s journey and acclimation to the United States. In the preface of his ethnography, Hertzman recognizes that the immigration of these peoples took place over decades and as an anthropologist he studies how the Nuer adapt to the way of life in the United States. Throughout Nuer Journeys, Nuer Lives, Hertzman encounters the concepts of Marriage, Family, and Kinship and Gender as they are outlined in Essential of Cultural Anthropology.

The authors remained limited in the questions posed as does the field in its current state. Although older contributors, such as Lovoll, to the field adopted newer sub-focuses such as the study of migrant women, Scandinavian-Americanists remain virtually unchallenged in their studies. In Betty A. Bergland’s and Lori Ann Lahlum’s book, Norwegian American Women: Migration, Communities, and Identities, Lovoll wrote an included essay that discussed Norwegian women and their role in immigration to the United States. The embracement of new topics still does very little to reinvigorate the discussion between Scandinavian-

During the early nineteenth century, families of immigrants undergo assimilation to unite themselves in American customs. The ideology that they will be accepted into a society and embrace American identities has driven them to this process. A reality of upward mobility and freedom are highly desired for immigrants’ transition. One author who portrays the temptation of this “New World” America for the Jewish children arriving and having their lives greatly affected is Anzia Yezierska’s “Bread Givers” while focusing on the truth of forming an American identity. An autobiography written by Mary Antin “The Promised Land” incorporates the accuracy of family assimilation and its outcome on the identity of their children is shaped by American meritocracy

Immigration to the United States of America has been monumental in the development of this great nation. In both The Barbarian Nurseries, written by Hector Tobar, and Summer of the Big Bachi, written by Naomi Hirahara, are centered around two characters that once moved to America from a foreign land, in hopes to have the American dream, the traditional social ideals of the United States, such as equality, democracy, and material prosperity. Both of the characters work in laborious fields and undergo scrutiny and interrogation of unfortunate circumstances that were out of their control. The strain that is put on immigrants from other countries is prominent in both of these captivating novels.

Perhaps many the troubles that plague Scandinavian-Americanist historians and scholars stem from the general lack of public attention to their topic of study. Although many Americans still claim Scandinavian roots and Swedish and Norwegian communities still remain lively in several regions of the United States, the migrant group lacks the impact or presence (both in popular culture as well as demographically) that Irish of Italian migrants register in the mind of the American public. Regardless of the reasons for the field’s lack of prevalence in the greater field of U.S.-immigration studies Scandinavian-American migration studies remains difficult to penetrate for outsiders to the field. A small section of the published works covering Scandinavian-American

Identity crises are common problems for immigrants coming into any country. Deciding whether to stay true to their roots or to assimilate to a new culture puts pressure on many immigrants and their families. Both Jake and Babbitt, from Hester Street and Babbitt respectively, define what means to be American on superficial terms, even though they both believe that being an American does not merely stem from racial identity. They both become obsessed with being as seen as Americans through their social status, physical appearance, the pursuit of wealth, and freedom. While both Jake and Babbitt try to assimilate to American culture, only Babbitt truly succeeds in achieving this goal.

New immigrants to the United States seized the chance to own land in their new country. Immigrants who wished to claim property had to first file intentions to become American citizens. Some states and territories even advertise in other countries, hoping to attract more people. Earlier immigrants encouraged their countrymen to homestead, describing life on the plains and officering advice, which resulted in people from all over Europe migrating to the west. So many Swedish and Norwegian immigrants arrived in Minnesota during the late 1860s that an editor of the St Paul Pioneer remarked: “It seems as if the Scandinavian Kingdoms were being emptied into the state” (Porterfield 31-3). Immigrants often settled in separate ethnic communities,

Immigration and Migration have greatly impacted Minnesota history from the state’s beginning to the present. The impact of migration from the end of the 1800s to the Vietnam War to today has brought social, cultural, and political changes that have shaped the state. Within each time period, different ethnic groups migrated to Minnesota, including: Europeans, Africans, and Asians. People of different backgrounds moved to the same location, bringing their culture, views and beliefs with them. The migration periods: the iron range from the end of the 1800s to 1920, after the end of the Vietnam War, and today contain similarities and differences. There’s no doubt that the migration of people has greatly influenced the present, as will the migration of people today influence the future.

TRASH! TRASH! TRASH! Regardless of environmental laws that protect the quality of streams and lakes, garbage often ends up in our waters. Most of the trash comes from people who fish or participate in other forms of water-related recreation. Regardless of the source, trash is a form of water pollution. The most important issue facing us is the preserving of our waterways for future generations to enjoy. There are several things which can be done to make a difference regarding this issue so we will have a lifetime to enjoy our beautiful rivers and lakes.

Immigration makes up of the United States. The life of an immigrant faces many struggles. Coming to the United States is a very difficult time for immigrant, especially when English is not their first language. In Oscar Handlin’s essay, Uprooted and Trapped: The One-Way Route to Modernity and Mark Wyman’s Coming and Going: Round Trip to America, both these essays describes the life of immigrants living in America and how they are able to make a decent amount of money to support their families. Handlin’s essay Uprooted and Trapped: The One - Way Route to Modernity explains how unskilled immigrants came to adapt to the American life working in factories to make a living. In the essay, Coming and Going: Round Trip to America, this essay describes the reality of many immigrants migrating to the United States in the midst of the Industrial Revolution. Many were living and adjusting to being transnational families. Both these essays show how the influx of immigration and industrialization contributed to the making of the United States. With the support from documents 3 and 7, Thomas O’ Donnell, Immigrant Thomas O’Donnell Laments the Worker’s Plight, 1883 and A Slovenian Boy Remembers Tales of the Golden Country, 1909, these documents will explain the life of an immigrant worker in the United States. Although, the United States was portrayed as the country for a better life and a new beginning, in reality, the United

Like many Americans today, a successful life is something every family endeavors to achieve. Whether you are native to this land or an immigrant, everyone is pursuing their idea of the American dream. Whereas every dream may be different, the journey to each dream is both trying and straining. In both articles written by Hogan and Shteyngart, we find two families striving for a better life as they encounter their own struggles along the way. Although Native Americans and immigrants are different as Native Americans are indigenous, while immigrants are foreigners, the authors illustrate they are also similar as they both have adversities, pervading family influences, and are strangers in a world they attempt to call home.

During the early 1900’s, The United States government was ruled by white men that have captivated the American patriotism. The patriotism of the American society was greatly enchanted by the white superiors wanting to establish a strong American values and culture. The era of the time gave little hopes and dreams of living in a land that its purpose was to give the opportunities to all newcomers. However it was a different scenario among the Mexican American community. The Mexican communities within the United States are force to adapt to a new tradition due to the defeat of Mexican-American War. The Mexican government efforts to persuade its people to leave the United States were no effect because of their disloyalties to its government. From here on the Mexican-American community in the United States will decide its own self recognition of identity.