Immigration and Settlement
Wisconsin Citizen Petition Exhibit
Between 1836 and 1850, Wisconsin's population increased from 11,000 to over 305,000. The rapid opening of land for white settlement encouraged mass migration to the Wisconsin territory. As transportation routes improved, immigrants swelled Wisconsin communities. Traveling by ship, steamboat, railroad, horseback, and wagon, immigrants from both the eastern United States and Europe tended to settle in the southern parts of Wisconsin. Milwaukee became a favorite landing place for lake passengers because of its expanding business opportunities and public lands office.
The Emigrant's Hand Book and Guide To Wisconsin, 1851. Buy a copy of this image: WHI 54095 View the original source document: WHI 54095
As the immigrant population of Wisconsin swelled, white male immigrants quickly petitioned the legislature for suffrage rights. Some hoped to extend voting rights to all immigrants who declared intention to become citizens. Others focused on gaining voting rights for all free white men over the age of 21.
In contrast, some citizens wanted to disenfranchise all foreigners by birth who neglect to become full citizens within 5 years.
Norwegian Language Immigration Brochure
Norwegian Language Immigration Brochure View the original source document: WHI 112119
Immigration from Europe often occurred in demographic waves, each ethnic group bringing their own social norms and establishing community organizations. Irish, German, and Norwegian immigrants made up major parts of the overall population. Many ethnic groups left their mark on particular areas of Wisconsin, including the Finns in Douglas County, the Danes in Racine County, and the Italians in Kenosha. By 1850, one-third of the state's population was foreign-born.
Despite the rising tide of anti-immigrant sentiment in the 1850s, Wisconsin's foreign-born population continued to increase, owing to the propaganda produced by land speculators, the letters sent back to Europe by immigrants encouraging friends and family to join them, and the efforts of the Wisconsin Commission of Emigration. Pamphlets extolling Wisconsin’s virtues were published in German, Norwegian, Dutch, and English and were distributed throughout Europe as well as in eastern port cities. Petitions and state government documents were also published in the languages of immigrant groups so they could participate more fully as informed citizens.
Petitions were curciulated for printing all of the state laws, the state Constitution, and local laws in Dutch and other language. In additon county goverments were pressed to provide interpretation services.
As the number of immigrants continued to grow and diversify the population, a series of efforts were launched by Wisconsin policy makers to assimilate these disparate groups into mainstream American culture. Learning the English language became a central focus of many Americanization efforts. Madison residents asked for $200 so that the English-German School could provide instruction to teach German speakers basic English.
German-English School
German-English School in MIlwaukee, Wisconsin View the original source document: WHI 53381
Occasional ethnic conflict surfaced in the state, though to a lesser degree than in some other regions. Many of these conflicts surrounded temperance laws illustrating a Yankee’s disapproval of drinking compared with a German acceptance, coupled with disagreement to the extent to which German language and culture could be taught in schools. The areas of greatest debate between Yankees and immigrants were over state regulation of public and private schools, and the extent to which those schools should be used to assimilate immigrant children. These issues reached a climax in 1890 when the state legislature enacted the controversial Bennett Law which required that major school subjects be taught in English.