Most of the Norwegians who came to the United States after the American Civil War (1861–65) were from southern Norway. There, the land was relatively crowded, and it was difficult for many people to acquire enough land to support a family. Asked why they were leaving their native land, most Norwegian emigrants said they were looking for a better economic opportunity.
Relative to the size of its population, Norway was a major contributor to the flow of immigrants to the United
States, second only to Ireland. Although Norway did not experience the starvation that drove many Irish emigrants to come to the United States, times were often hard in Norway, especially in the southern part of the country.
Johnson's articles offered very practical advice, ranging from what sort of ship to take to what sort of trunks to pack possessions in. He advised Norwegians not to settle on the East Coast, but rather to keep going west until they reached Wisconsin. Many people in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota can trace their ancestry to relatives who emigrated from Norway and nearby Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden and Denmark.
Things to Remember While Reading an Excerpt from Concerning Emigration:
