Germany, 1750s

Germany, 1750s. . , A German Peasant Farm , This timber-framed house and one barn originally stood in the village of Hördt in the Rhineland Palatinate. The adjacent barn stood in the nearby village of Hayna. These three buildings are typical architectural forms for 18th-century farming villages in southwestern Germany., In the 18th century, the Palatinate was one of hundreds of territories within the Holy Roman Empire. German-speaking peasants did not own the lands they worked. They were required to pay their territorial lord a portion of their annual harvest or provide labor for him. Many peasants decided to leave these German territories during the 18th century. They were looking for a better life somewhere else., German Mass Migration , Staring in the 1680s and lasting for almost a century, as many as one million German speakers left their homes. They were fleeing from wars, famines, conscription, taxation, and religious persecution. The territories in southwestern Germany were also overpopulated, and peasants struggled to support their families. Most German-speaking migrants went east to Russia, Prussia, or Hungary, but about 100,000 traveled to the American colonies., Contributions to American Culture , German immigrants had distinctive traditions in architecture, food, and the decorative arts. These traditions, along with the German language, endured in early America for generations. Many of these traditions were modified and became part of the broader American culture. Perhaps the most lasting contribution of German immigrants was the strong desire for self-governance of their churches, families, and communities., [Caption:] , Philadelphia was the main port of entry for German immigrants who arrived in the American colonies during the 18th century. An east prospect of the city of Philadelphia; taken by George Heap from the Jersey shore, under the direction of Nicholas Scull surveyor general of the Province of Pennsylvania / engrav'd by T. Jefferys. London: Publish'd according to Act of Parliament by T. Jefferys near Charing Cross, 1768. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division