|
History of Welsh
Immigration to America: The Welsh and the English
Wales was first
ruled by Welsh kings. The Reign of Rhodri the Great
starting in 844 united all of Wales under his rule but
in 890 Welsh rulers acknowledged Alfred the Great as
their ruler and at this point in history Anglo Saxons
joined the Celts in Wales. After this time conflicts
frequently erupted between the English and the Welsh.
King Edward I of England (r.1272-1307) savagely
conquered the Welsh in 1284. Wales was incorporated with
England in the 1586 Act of Union. Every attempt was made
by British rulers to destroy the heritage, culture and
language of the Welsh. They failed. The ancient Welsh
language survived and is now taught in all schools in
Wales.
History of Welsh
Immigration to America: The Discovery of America
According to legend
Welsh Immigration to America dates back to 1169. The
Welsh Prince Madoc of Gwynedd, landed in Alabama in 1169
and traveled up the Missouri - over 300 years before the
voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Descendents of
the voyagers were referred to as Welsh Indians, who were
connected with the Mandan Native American Indian tribe.
Thomas Jefferson, like many others, believed that the "Madoc
Welsh Indians" story to be true and instructed Lewis and
Clark to find the descendants of the Welsh Indians.
Queen Elizabeth I even used this legend to support
British claims in the New World over those of Spain.
Also refer to
Examples of PUSH and PULL Factors of Welsh Immigration.
History of Welsh
Immigration to America in the 1600's: Colonial America
Welsh Immigration to America
dates back to Colonial times - at least one the
Mayflower pilgrims claimed Welsh descent. Her name was
Jane Powys, the wife of Thomas Holbrook. Welsh
immigrants, particularly those of the Baptist,
Methodist, or Quaker religions, undertook the 3000 mile
journey in search of a better life and the freedom to
worship as they chose. John Myles (c. 1621-1683) became
the founder of the first Baptist church in Wales in
1649. Myles and other Baptists suffered religious
persecution and he led Welsh Baptists to
Massachusetts in 1662. John Myles and his congregation
founded the American town of Swansea, named after a town
in their Welsh homeland.
History of Welsh
Immigration to America in the 1600's: Pennsylvania
The Welsh Quakers suffered religious persecution.
William Penn (1644-1718) was the founding father of the
Quaker colonies in America. William Penn established
Pennsylvania in 1682, he first called the area "New
Wales". The Welsh Quakers were led by John Roberts, who
had negotiated with William Penn to constitute a
separate county whose local government and inhabitants
would use the Welsh language. The Quakers founded the
city of "Brotherly Love" (or Phil-Adelphia)..
Philadelphia was the first planned, and surveyed city in
the western hemisphere. 30,000 Welsh Quakers immigrated
to "New Wales" - Pennsylvania during the 1600's. Other
early Welsh settlers purchased land in the
Delaware colony, which they called the Welsh Tract.
History of Welsh
Immigration to America: Indentured Servants
Welsh Immigration to America
increased as Welsh gained access to America as
Indentured Servants. The cost of the voyage to America
was prohibitive and out of the reach of most Welsh
men and women. The only way to get to America was to
sign a contract as an Indentured servant and signed to
work between five to seven years in exchange for
transportation to the New World and the prospects of employment and a new
life.
History of Welsh
Immigration to America in the 1700's: Transportation
Welsh Immigration to America
in the 1700's increased when the British passed the 1717
Transportation Act initiating forced immigration to
America. The 1717 law established a convict bond
service as a form of punishment for various offences. Penal transportation to the
British colonies in North
America included paupers and petty thieves who were
sentenced to a seven year convict bond service in
America. More serious crimes, including rebellion, were
punished by a 14-year convict bond sentence. Convicted Welsh had no choice in this forced
type of Welsh Immigration to America but many
preferred the option to imprisonment or execution.
History of Welsh
Immigration to America in the 1700's: The American War
of Independence
Welsh Immigration to America
continued into the 1700's, the period in which conflict began to grow
between Britain and the colonies. American migrants demanded the same rights
as the British believing their rights and
liberties in America were being abused. The American War of
Independence (1775 - 1783) erupted and many Welsh
Americans fought in the American Revolutionary War.
Daniel Morgan (1736–1802) was a Brigadier General during
the American Revolution. Both of his grandparents were
Welsh immigrants who lived in Pennsylvania.
History of Welsh
Immigration to America in the 1700's: Signers of the
Declaration of Independence
Welsh Immigration to
America saw descendents who bravely fought in the
American War of Independence and some also signed the Declaration of
Independence on July 4, 1776. The signers of the Declaration of Independence of Welsh
ancestry included William Floyd, Button Gwinnett,
Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris and Robert Morris.
History of Welsh
Immigration to America in the 1800's: Migrants
from Llanbrynmair, Powys, Mid Wales
Welsh Immigration to America
witnessed a wave of settlers in the 1850's from
Llanbrynmair led by the Reverend Samuel Roberts (1800 -
1885 ), who acquired land for a Welsh colony in
Tennessee. There were legal disputes concerning
ownership of the land and many of the migrants moved on
to Ohio.
History of Welsh
Immigration to America in the 1800's: Welsh Miners
Welsh Immigration to America
in the 1800's at first increased as thousands of Welsh
coal miners emigrated to America to work in the
anthracite and bituminous mines of Pennsylvania. Others
found employment in the iron and steel industries. Then
the wave of Welsh immigration decreased. From 1881 to
1920 a Welsh immigrants to America totaled 53,768 - a
miniscule amount compared to the millions of other
immigrants.
History of Welsh
Immigration to America: The Welsh Legacy
Welsh Immigration to America
left an important legacy to the United States. Famous
U.S. Presidents claimed Welsh ancestry including Thomas
Jefferson, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, James
Garfield, Calvin Coolidge and Richard Nixon. In the 2008
U.S. Census community survey, an estimated 1.98 million
Americans had Welsh ancestry equivalent to 0.6% of the
total population of the United States.
Welsh Immigration to
America Facts Sheet and Timeline for kids
Important facts about
the history of Welsh Immigration to America and US
laws that effected the migrants from Wales are contained
in the following Facts Sheet and history timeline.
Welsh Immigration to
America Facts Sheet and Timeline
Fact 1
- 784:
King Offa built Offa's Dyke as a boundary
between England and Wales
Fact 2
-
1169:
According to legend Prince Madoc of Gwynedd,
landed in Alabama and traveled up the
Missouri. Descendents are referred to a
Welsh Indians
Fact 3
-
1284:
King Edward I conquered the Welsh
Fact 4
-
1586:
Wales was incorporated with England in the
1586 Act of Union.
Fact 5
-
1620:
Jane Powys is one of the Mayflower pilgrims
Fact 6
-
1603:
The two kingdoms of Wales and England are
united when James VI becomes king
Fact 7
-
1662:
John Myles, the founder of the first Baptist
church in Wales, established a Welsh
settlement in Massachusetts
Fact 8
-
1682:
William Penn established Pennsylvania. Welsh
Quakers led by John Roberts found
Philadelphia
Fact 9
-
1717:
The Transportation Act resulted in Welsh
criminals being transported to America
Fact
10
-
1775:
The American War of Independence begins
Fact
11
-
1776:
The Declaration of Independence was signed
on July 4, 1776
Fact
12
-
1783:
Congress officially declared the end to the
American Revolutionary War on April 11, 1783
Fact
13
-
1783:
The United States of America was created and
Welsh migrants referred to themselves as
Americans.
Fact
14
-
1850:
Migrants from Llanbrynmair, Powys, Mid
Wales, led by Reverend Samuel Roberts,
establish a colony in Tennessee
Fact
15
-
1850's:
Coal miners work in the anthracite and
bituminous mines of Pennsylvania
Welsh Immigration to America has declined
from this time
Welsh Immigration to
America Facts Sheet and Timeline for kids
Push and Pull Factors of
Welsh Immigration to America
for kids
For specific examples and a list of political, economic,
environmental and social reasons and push and pull
factors of Welsh Immigration to America refer to:
Push and Pull Factors of
Welsh Immigration
Welsh Immigration to America
for kids
This article contains a
brief overview of Welsh Immigration to America from the first
Immigrants through the 1800's and 1900's. Important historical events have been
highlighted which had a significant impact on Welsh
Immigration to America. A brief description of the effect
of the first immigrants from Wales. Our article on Immigration to America
details the history of Wales and immigration in the
1600's - 1800's. A helpful educational resource for kids on the
subject of Immigration from Wales to America.
Welsh Immigration to America for Kids, Schools and Homework
*** Interesting, brief, short, fun facts about Immigration from Wales to America for kids, teachers and schools
*** Brief Facts about Immigration from Wales to America - dates, numbers, law, history, reasons, impact and effect
*** Interesting facts about the history of Immigration from Wales to America and brief reasons for the changes in migration patterns
*** Welsh Immigration to America - important events in the history of America that impacted migrants from Wales
*** Fast, fun facts about Immigration from Wales to America and the first migrants in the 1800's and 1900's
*** Interesting, brief US Immigration History for kids and children, schools, homework projects on Welsh Immigration to America
*** Brief overview of Immigration from Wales to America for Kids, Teachers Schools and Homework - free, educational resource
|
