European Emigration to the U.S. 1871 - 1880



In 1871, Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck united the German states to form the German Empire. Whereas previous German immigrants had been mainly from Northern Germany, under Protestant Prussian rule, they came from southern, predominately Catholic, states.

Background
Unlike some immigrant groups, the Germans settled widely across the country. German immigrants were concentrated most heavily in the Great Lakes states and in the Midwest, especially in the "German Triangle" delineated by Milwaukee, Wisconsin; St. Louis, Missouri; and Cincinnati, Ohio. Since land was the attraction for many German immigrants, they were also well-represented on the frontier, especially the Dakotas (Bismarck, North Dakota's capital, was named for the German statesman), and a sizeable contingent settled in central Texas.

A 1879 guide to help immigrants planning to settle in Minnesota and the Dakota Territory.


Source: Destination America by Charles A. Wills