Date of Award
2005
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
First Advisor
C. Fred Williams
Abstract
This study traces the presence of German immigrants in Arkansas from 1820 through 1900 with particular attention to examples of chain migration. It explores stories of German settlers from three points of view: the political, social and cultural situations that motivated emigration; the immigrant communities established in Arkansas, and continuing connections between the New World and the Old. It locates the immigrants in Arkansas as a frontier state and a Southern state, including their experiences during the Civil War. Using letters and diaries, in addition to census records, the study looks at how the immigrants experienced the strangeness of their new home, its climate, geography, and politics. It considers the role of the church in attracting immigration, the effect of language difficulties on their adjustment, and the nature of conflicts within the immigrant community. It explores how the immigrants' endurance contributed to their influence on the lives of Arkansans today.
Recommended Citation
Schuette, Shirley Sticht, "Strangers to the Land: The German Presence in Nineteenth-Century Arkansas" (2005). Theses and Dissertations. 130.
https://research.ualr.edu/etd/130
