Swedish colonization of the Americas
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The Swedish colonization of the Americas included a 17th-century colony on the Delaware River in what is now Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, as well as two possessions in the Caribbean during the 18th and 19th century.
Until 1809, Finland was an integral part of Sweden, and many of the settlers of Sweden's colonies came from present-day Finland or were Finnish-speaking[1]. Finns came to America particularly from the outlying regions of Savonia and Kainuu, where slash and burn agriculture was a way of life for many, and people were used to life as wilderness pioneers.
The Swedes and Finns brought their log house design to America, where it became the typical log cabin of pioneers.
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[edit] North America
- The colony of New Sweden (1638-1655) was located along the Delaware River with settlements in modern Delaware (e.g., New Castle and Wilmington), Pennsylvania (e.g., Philadelphia) and New Jersey (e.g., New Stockholm and Swedesboro). The colony was conquered by the Dutch, who perceived the presence of Swedish colonists in North America as a threat to their interests in the New Netherland colony.
[edit] Caribbean
- Saint-Barthélemy (1785-1878) Operated as a porto franco (free port). Capital city of Gustavia retains its Swedish name.
- Guadeloupe (1813-1814) Came into Swedish possession as a consequence of the Napoleonic Wars. It gave rise to the Guadeloupe Fund.
[edit] South America
- In the late 19th century Misiones Province in Argentina was a major centre for Swedish emigration, and lay the foundations of a population of Swedish-Argentines.
[edit] See also
- Swedish colonial empire
- Possessions of Sweden
- Colonial governors in 1816
- Swedish emigration to North America
[edit] References
- ^ A. R. Dunlap & E. J. Moyne. The Finnish Language on the Delaware. American Speech, Vol. 27, No. 2 (May, 1952), pp. 81-90
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