Essay on Immigrant Settles in Free Country: German-Swiss Immigrant's Journey to Pennsylvania

Introduction

Germany had a substantial number of immigrants in most of the eighteenth-century colonies. A considerable proportion of these immigrants wrote letters to their families at home to express their experiences in foreign lands. Johannes Hanner, a German-Swiss immigrant, wrote to his family members that he had settled in a free country where anyone could do whatever he/she wants. Unlike the European countries where people pay taxes, there was no such obligation in Pennsylvania. Hanner further said that the land was extensive to the extent that one could settle wherever he/she wanted. Commodities sold at reasonable prices and thus an indication that life there was affordable than in Pennsylvania. Hanner requests his parents to allow his brother to join him in the host country, but they ought to pay immigrant agents.

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Petition from Pennsylvania to London Authorities (1727)

A small proportion of emigrants from British North America in the eighteenth-century originated from the British Isles. However, some white settlers drafted a petition to the authorities in London to express their displeasure about a growing diversity of the British colonies. In a petition written in 1727, the author reveals how a group of Mennonites from Holland entered Pennsylvania in 1710 and purchased land at low rates. The locals accorded the Mennonite's favorable terms that they invited their friends to follow them. A few years later, thousands of them had settled around River Susquehanna. However, few of them applied to be naturalized since they adhered to their customs. These emigrants settled in a land bordering the French of Canada since they had interests there. The petitioner argued that it was necessary to stop the augmentation of the emigrant's strengths by imposing a strict law against all the foreigners.

Scarouyady's Message to Colony's Leadership (1756)

The effects of the Seven Year's War adversely impacted the relations between white settlers and Native Americans. Scarouyady, the leader of Oneida desired to restore harmony in Pennsylvania backcountry. He proposed the establishment of Fort at Shamokin to protect Indians, among other friendly communities. Scarouyady further appealed to the colony's leaders to keep armed whites in check. The previous strategy agreed among six nations, and the Delaware Indians was amicable but could not restore normalcy. According to Scarouyady, Indians were facing an imminent risk since they had nowhere to seek protection. The establishment of a Fort, therefore, would stop a war by protecting friendly communities against hostile tribes.

Pontiac Rebellion (1762 and 1763)

Pontiac led pan-Indian resistance movements against the English rule. Neolin, a religious prophet from Delaware, inspired the rebellion against the English rulers. In his speech, Pontiac told the English rulers that his people were not slaves since the foreign forces had not yet conquered the community. He further stated that lakes, mountains, and woods was the inheritance from the community's forefathers and thus were not going to cede any part of it. Initially, the Master of Life had told Neolin that he is the maker of everything, and no one should take the land that he had made for the community. Neolin inspired the community to evict the whites who had occupied their land. Neolin assured his people that they would win back favor from the Master of Life if they drive away whites from their land. Also, he promised the community that the Master of Life would restore their happiness and prosperity if they wiped foreigners from their land.