Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

Slavery Abolition Act 1833

2010-05-25T20:07:34Z

216.107.194.166: /* Background */ Samuel Sharpes role in forcing the debate on slavery.

{{Infobox UK Legislation
|short_title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833
|parliament=United Kingdom Parliament
|long_title=An Act for the Abolition of Slavery throughout the British Colonies; for promoting the Industry of the manumitted Slaves; and for compensating the Persons hitherto entitled to the Services of such Slaves.
|statute_book_chapter=3 & 4 Will.4 c.73
|royal_assent=28 August 1833
|commencement=1 August 1834 1 December 1834 ([[Cape Colony|Cape of Good Hope]]) 1 February 1835 ([[Mauritius]])
|repeal_date=19 November 1998
|related_legislation=[[Slave Trade Act 1807]], [[Slave Trade Act 1824]], [[Slave Trade Act 1843]], [[Slave Trade Act 1873]]
|repealing_legislation=[[Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1998]]
|status=Repealed
|original_text=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm
|}}
The '''''Slavery Abolition Act 1833''''' ''(citation 3 & 4 Will. IV c. 73)'' was an [[1833]] [[Act of Parliament|Act]] of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] abolishing [[slavery]] throughout most of the [[British Empire]] (with the notable exceptions "of the Territories in the Possession of the [[Honourable East India Company|East India Company]]," the "Island of [[Sri Lanka|Ceylon]]," and "the Island of [[Saint Helena]].")<ref name=SectionLXIV>{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section LXIV |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref>

The Act was repealed in 1998 as part of a wider rationalisation of English statute law, but later anti-slavery legislation remains in-force.

==Background==
Britain had outlawed the [[slave trade]] with the [[Slave Trade Act]] in [[1807]], with penalties of [[Pound sterling|£]]100 per slave levied on British captains found importing slaves. However, this did not stop the slave trade: if slave ships were in danger of being captured by the [[Royal Navy]], captains were known to have ordered the slaves to be thrown into the sea to reduce the fines they had to pay. Small trading nations that did not have a great deal to give up, such as Sweden, quickly followed suit, as did the Netherlands, also by then a minor player. The Royal Navy established the West Africa Squadron (or Preventative Squadron) at substantial expense in 1808 after Parliament passed the Act. The squadron's task was to suppress the Atlantic slave trade by patrolling the coast of West Africa. Not withstanding what had been done to suppress the trade, further measures were soon discovered to be necessary.

The first [[Anti-Slavery Society]] was formed in the UK in 1823, and members included [[Thomas Clarkson]], [[William Wilberforce]], [[Henry Brougham]], [[Thomas Fowell Buxton]], [[Elizabeth Heyrick]], Mary Lloyd, Jane Smeal, [[Elizabeth Pease Nichol|Elizabeth Pease]] and [[Anne Knight]].<ref>[http://www.oup.com/oxforddnb/info/freeodnb/shelves/slavery/ Slavery and abolition]</ref>

During the Christmas holiday of 1831, a large scale slave revolt known as the Baptist War broke. It was organised originally as a peaceful strike by baptist minister [[Samuel Sharpe]]. The rebellion was suppressed by the militia of the Jamaican plantocracy and the British garrison ten days later in early 1832. Because the loss of property and life in the 1831 rebellion, the British Parliament held two inquiries. The results of these inquiries contributed greatly to the abolition of slavery with the the Slavery Abolition Act 1833.

A successor organisation to the Anti-Slavery Society was formed in 1839, committed to worldwide abolition. Its official name was the [[British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society]].<ref>Sharman, Anne-Marie (1993), ed., ''Anti-Slavery Reporter vol 13 no 8''. P.35. London:Anti-Slavery International</ref> This continues today as [[Anti-Slavery International]].

==Main points of the Act==
Slavery was officially abolished in most of the [[British Empire]] on 1 August 1834.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section XII |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref> In practical terms, however, only slaves below the age of six were freed as all slaves over the age of six were redesignated as "apprentices".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section I |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref> Apprentices would continue to serve their former owners for a period of time after the abolition of slavery, though the length of time they served depended on which of the three classes of apprentice they were.<ref name="Section_IV">{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section IV |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref>

The first class of apprentices were former slaves who "in their State of Slavery were usually employed in Agriculture, or in the Manufacture of Colonial Produce or otherwise, upon Lands belonging to their Owners".<ref name="Section_IV"/> The second class of apprentices were former slaves who "in their State of Slavery were usually employed in Agriculture, or in the Manufacture of Colonial Produce or otherwise, upon Lands not belonging to their Owners".<ref name="Section_IV"/> The third class of apprentices was composed of all former slaves "not included within either of the Two preceding Classes".<ref name="Section_IV"/> Apprentices within the third class were released from their apprenticeships on 1 August 1838.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section VI |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref> The remaining apprentices within the first and second classes were released from their apprenticeships on 1 August 1840.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section V |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref>

The Act also included the right of compensation for slave-owners who would be losing their property. The amount of money to be spent on the compensation claims was set at "the Sum of Twenty Millions Pounds Sterling".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section XXIV |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref>. Under the terms of the Act the British government raised £20 million to pay out in compensation for the loss of the slaves as business assets to the registered owners of the freed slaves. The names listed in the returns for slave compensation show that ownership was spread over many hundreds of British families,<ref>British ''Parliamentary Papers'', session 1837-38 (215), volume XLVIII. The manuscript returns and indexes to the claims are held by [[The National Archives]].</ref> many of them of high social standing. For example, [[Henry Phillpotts]] (the then [[Bishop of Exeter]]), in a partnership with three business colleagues, received £12,700 for 665 slaves.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2007/02/28/abolition_devon_wealth_feature.shtml | title=Devon's plantation owners | last=Danks|first=John|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|date=February 28, 2007}}</ref> The majority of men and women who were awarded compensation under the 1833 Abolition Act are listed in a Parliamentary Return, entitled Slavery Abolition Act, which is an account of all sums of money awarded by the Commissioners of Slave Compensation in the Parliamentary Papers 1837-8 Vol. 48.

In all, the government paid out £20 million over 40,000 separate awards, which was equivalent to 40% of the government's total annual expenditure.

As a notable exception to the rest of the British Empire, the Act did not "extend to any of the Territories in the Possession of the [[Honourable East India Company|East India Company]], or to the Island of [[Sri Lanka|Ceylon]], or to the Island of [[Saint Helena]]."<ref name=SectionLXIV />

On 1 August 1834, an unarmed group of mainly elderly Negroes being addressed by the Governor at Government House in [[Port of Spain]], [[Trinidad]], about the new laws, began chanting: "Pas de six ans. Point de six ans" ("Not six years. No six years"), drowning out the voice of the Governor. Peaceful protests continued until a resolution to abolish [[apprenticeship]] was passed and ''de facto'' freedom was achieved. Full [[abolitionism|emancipation]] for all was legally granted ahead of schedule on 1 August 1838, making Trinidad the first British colony with slaves to completely abolish slavery.<ref>Dryden, John. 1992 "Pas de Six Ans!" In: ''Seven Slaves & Slavery: Trinidad 1777 - 1838'', by Anthony de Verteuil, Port of Spain, pp. 371-379.</ref>

==Repeal==
The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 was [[repeal]]ed in its entirety under the [[Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1998]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980043_en_1 |title=Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1998 |date=1998-11-19 |accessdate=2008-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/ukpga/1833/cukpga_18330073_en_1|title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833 (repealed 19.11.1998) (c.73)|accessdate=2009-06-19}}</ref> However, this repeal has not made slavery legal again, as sections of the [[Slave Trade Act 1824]], [[Slave Trade Act 1843]] and [[Slave Trade Act 1873]] are still in force.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?activeTextDocId=1029383 |title=Slave Trade Act 1824 |date=1824-06-24 |accessdate=2008-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?activeTextDocId=1034738 |title=Slave Trade Act 1843 |date=1843-08-24 |accessdate=2008-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?activeTextDocId=1052596 |title=Slave Trade Act 1873 |date=1873-08-05 |accessdate=2008-06-04}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Abolition of slavery timeline]]
* [[Act Against Slavery]], an act in [[Upper Canada]] that ended slavery there

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.parliament.uk/archives The Parliamentary Archives holds the original of this historic record]
*[http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm Text of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833]
*[http://www.blackhistory4schools.com/slavetrade/ Teaching resources about Slavery and Abolition on blackhistory4schools.com]

{{UK legislation}}

[[Category:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1833]]
[[Category:Abolitionism in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1833 in law]]
[[Category:Repealed United Kingdom Acts of Parliament]]

[[fr:Slavery Abolition Act 1833]]
[[lt:1833 metų vergijos uždraudimo aktas]]
[[nds:Slavery Abolition Act]]

Slavery Abolition Act 1833

2010-05-25T19:58:27Z

216.107.194.166: /* Background */ Too many US orientated words - this is about the 1833 UK act, not US anti-slavery actions.

{{Infobox UK Legislation
|short_title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833
|parliament=United Kingdom Parliament
|long_title=An Act for the Abolition of Slavery throughout the British Colonies; for promoting the Industry of the manumitted Slaves; and for compensating the Persons hitherto entitled to the Services of such Slaves.
|statute_book_chapter=3 & 4 Will.4 c.73
|royal_assent=28 August 1833
|commencement=1 August 1834 1 December 1834 ([[Cape Colony|Cape of Good Hope]]) 1 February 1835 ([[Mauritius]])
|repeal_date=19 November 1998
|related_legislation=[[Slave Trade Act 1807]], [[Slave Trade Act 1824]], [[Slave Trade Act 1843]], [[Slave Trade Act 1873]]
|repealing_legislation=[[Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1998]]
|status=Repealed
|original_text=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm
|}}
The '''''Slavery Abolition Act 1833''''' ''(citation 3 & 4 Will. IV c. 73)'' was an [[1833]] [[Act of Parliament|Act]] of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] abolishing [[slavery]] throughout most of the [[British Empire]] (with the notable exceptions "of the Territories in the Possession of the [[Honourable East India Company|East India Company]]," the "Island of [[Sri Lanka|Ceylon]]," and "the Island of [[Saint Helena]].")<ref name=SectionLXIV>{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section LXIV |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref>

The Act was repealed in 1998 as part of a wider rationalisation of English statute law, but later anti-slavery legislation remains in-force.

==Background==
Britain had outlawed the [[slave trade]] with the [[Slave Trade Act]] in [[1807]], with penalties of [[Pound sterling|£]]100 per slave levied on British captains found importing slaves. However, this did not stop the slave trade: if slave ships were in danger of being captured by the [[Royal Navy]], captains were known to have ordered the slaves to be thrown into the sea to reduce the fines they had to pay. Small trading nations that did not have a great deal to give up, such as Sweden, quickly followed suit, as did the Netherlands, also by then a minor player. The Royal Navy established the West Africa Squadron (or Preventative Squadron) at substantial expense in 1808 after Parliament passed the Act. The squadron's task was to suppress the Atlantic slave trade by patrolling the coast of West Africa. Not withstanding what had been done to suppress the trade, further measures were soon discovered to be necessary.

The next step then, was to [[abolitionism|make slavery illegal]]. The first [[Anti-Slavery Society]] was formed in the UK in 1823, and members included [[Thomas Clarkson]], [[William Wilberforce]], [[Henry Brougham]], [[Thomas Fowell Buxton]], [[Elizabeth Heyrick]], Mary Lloyd, Jane Smeal, [[Elizabeth Pease Nichol|Elizabeth Pease]] and [[Anne Knight]].<ref>[http://www.oup.com/oxforddnb/info/freeodnb/shelves/slavery/ Slavery and abolition]</ref>

They prevailed ten years later with the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. A successor organisation to the Anti-Slavery Society was formed in 1839, committed to worldwide abolition. Its official name was the [[British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society]].<ref>Sharman, Anne-Marie (1993), ed., ''Anti-Slavery Reporter vol 13 no 8''. P.35. London:Anti-Slavery International</ref> This continues today as [[Anti-Slavery International]].

==Main points of the Act==
Slavery was officially abolished in most of the [[British Empire]] on 1 August 1834.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section XII |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref> In practical terms, however, only slaves below the age of six were freed as all slaves over the age of six were redesignated as "apprentices".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section I |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref> Apprentices would continue to serve their former owners for a period of time after the abolition of slavery, though the length of time they served depended on which of the three classes of apprentice they were.<ref name="Section_IV">{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section IV |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref>

The first class of apprentices were former slaves who "in their State of Slavery were usually employed in Agriculture, or in the Manufacture of Colonial Produce or otherwise, upon Lands belonging to their Owners".<ref name="Section_IV"/> The second class of apprentices were former slaves who "in their State of Slavery were usually employed in Agriculture, or in the Manufacture of Colonial Produce or otherwise, upon Lands not belonging to their Owners".<ref name="Section_IV"/> The third class of apprentices was composed of all former slaves "not included within either of the Two preceding Classes".<ref name="Section_IV"/> Apprentices within the third class were released from their apprenticeships on 1 August 1838.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section VI |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref> The remaining apprentices within the first and second classes were released from their apprenticeships on 1 August 1840.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section V |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref>

The Act also included the right of compensation for slave-owners who would be losing their property. The amount of money to be spent on the compensation claims was set at "the Sum of Twenty Millions Pounds Sterling".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm |title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833; Section XXIV |date=1833-08-28 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref>. Under the terms of the Act the British government raised £20 million to pay out in compensation for the loss of the slaves as business assets to the registered owners of the freed slaves. The names listed in the returns for slave compensation show that ownership was spread over many hundreds of British families,<ref>British ''Parliamentary Papers'', session 1837-38 (215), volume XLVIII. The manuscript returns and indexes to the claims are held by [[The National Archives]].</ref> many of them of high social standing. For example, [[Henry Phillpotts]] (the then [[Bishop of Exeter]]), in a partnership with three business colleagues, received £12,700 for 665 slaves.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2007/02/28/abolition_devon_wealth_feature.shtml | title=Devon's plantation owners | last=Danks|first=John|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|date=February 28, 2007}}</ref> The majority of men and women who were awarded compensation under the 1833 Abolition Act are listed in a Parliamentary Return, entitled Slavery Abolition Act, which is an account of all sums of money awarded by the Commissioners of Slave Compensation in the Parliamentary Papers 1837-8 Vol. 48.

In all, the government paid out £20 million over 40,000 separate awards, which was equivalent to 40% of the government's total annual expenditure.

As a notable exception to the rest of the British Empire, the Act did not "extend to any of the Territories in the Possession of the [[Honourable East India Company|East India Company]], or to the Island of [[Sri Lanka|Ceylon]], or to the Island of [[Saint Helena]]."<ref name=SectionLXIV />

On 1 August 1834, an unarmed group of mainly elderly Negroes being addressed by the Governor at Government House in [[Port of Spain]], [[Trinidad]], about the new laws, began chanting: "Pas de six ans. Point de six ans" ("Not six years. No six years"), drowning out the voice of the Governor. Peaceful protests continued until a resolution to abolish [[apprenticeship]] was passed and ''de facto'' freedom was achieved. Full [[abolitionism|emancipation]] for all was legally granted ahead of schedule on 1 August 1838, making Trinidad the first British colony with slaves to completely abolish slavery.<ref>Dryden, John. 1992 "Pas de Six Ans!" In: ''Seven Slaves & Slavery: Trinidad 1777 - 1838'', by Anthony de Verteuil, Port of Spain, pp. 371-379.</ref>

==Repeal==
The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 was [[repeal]]ed in its entirety under the [[Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1998]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980043_en_1 |title=Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1998 |date=1998-11-19 |accessdate=2008-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/ukpga/1833/cukpga_18330073_en_1|title=Slavery Abolition Act 1833 (repealed 19.11.1998) (c.73)|accessdate=2009-06-19}}</ref> However, this repeal has not made slavery legal again, as sections of the [[Slave Trade Act 1824]], [[Slave Trade Act 1843]] and [[Slave Trade Act 1873]] are still in force.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?activeTextDocId=1029383 |title=Slave Trade Act 1824 |date=1824-06-24 |accessdate=2008-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?activeTextDocId=1034738 |title=Slave Trade Act 1843 |date=1843-08-24 |accessdate=2008-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?activeTextDocId=1052596 |title=Slave Trade Act 1873 |date=1873-08-05 |accessdate=2008-06-04}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Abolition of slavery timeline]]
* [[Act Against Slavery]], an act in [[Upper Canada]] that ended slavery there

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.parliament.uk/archives The Parliamentary Archives holds the original of this historic record]
*[http://www.pdavis.nl/Legis_07.htm Text of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833]
*[http://www.blackhistory4schools.com/slavetrade/ Teaching resources about Slavery and Abolition on blackhistory4schools.com]

{{UK legislation}}

[[Category:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1833]]
[[Category:Abolitionism in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1833 in law]]
[[Category:Repealed United Kingdom Acts of Parliament]]

[[fr:Slavery Abolition Act 1833]]
[[lt:1833 metų vergijos uždraudimo aktas]]
[[nds:Slavery Abolition Act]]

Schweizamerikaner

2010-05-03T19:11:03Z

216.107.194.166: Updated figures to the 2008 community survey

{{Refimprove|date=June 2009}}
{{Infobox Ethnic group
|group = Swiss American Schweiz-Amerikaner
{{flagicon|CH|size=13px}} {{flagicon|USA|size=25px}}
|image = [[Image:Ben Roethlisberger Steelers cropped.jpg|80px]][[Image:Herbert Hoover.jpg|71px]] [[Image:Hoover-JEdgar-LOC.jpg|70px]][[Image:Michelle Pfeiffer 1994.jpg|70px]] [[Image:Meryl Streep in St-Petersburg.jpg|72px]][[Image:Reneecropped.jpg|80px]] [[Image:George Lucas.jpg|80px]][[Image:Dwight D. Eisenhower, official photo portrait, May 29, 1959.jpg|70px]] [[Image:Jean Piccard-BYU-1938.jpg|66px]][[Image:JohannAugustSutter2.jpg|64px]]
|caption = [[Ben Roethlisberger]], [[Herbert Hoover]], [[J. Edgar Hoover]], [[Michelle Pfeiffer]], [[Meryl Streep]], [[Renée Zellweger]], [[George Lucas]], [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], [[Jean Piccard]], [[John Sutter]]
|poptime =
'''997,233''' <ref>http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-parsed=true&-ds_name=ACS_2008_1YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-_caller=geoselect&-format= 2008 Community Survey</ref> 
'''0.3%''' of the U.S. population
|popplace = [[Pennsylvania]], [[Ohio]], [[California]], [[New York]], [[Indiana]], [[Wisconsin]] and [[Illinois]]
|langs = [[American English]], [[German language|German]] (especially [[Swiss German]]), [[French language|French]], [[Italian language|Italian]]
|rels = various e.g. [[Roman Catholicism in the United States|Roman Catholic]], [[United Church of Christ]], [[Reformed Church in the United States]]
|related = [[Swiss people]], [[Swiss Brazilian]], [[Swiss Chilean]] }}

'''Swiss Americans''' are [[people of the United States|Americans]] of [[Swiss (nationality)|Swiss]] descent.

There are several ethno-linguistic subgroups among Swiss Americans, including [[Swiss German]]-speaking, [[Swiss French]]-speaking, and [[Swiss Italian]]-speaking.{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}}
Reportedly,{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} these people are sometimes mistaken for non-Swiss [[German Americans]], [[French Americans]], and [[Italian Americans]], probably largely because of their cultural-linguistic origin.

==History==
[[File:Swiss diaspora in the USA 1890.jpg|thumb|left|Swiss emigrants to the USA totaled 104,000 according to the [[1890 United States Census|1890 census]].]]
The first Swiss person in what is now known as the territory of the United States was Theobald von Erlach (1541 - 1565). <ref>http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Sr-Z/Swiss-Americans.html "Swiss Americans"</ref>

The late 18th and early 19th century saw a flow of Swiss farmers forming colonies especially in [[Swiss emigration to Russia|Russia]] and in the United States.
Before the year 1820 some estimated 25,000 to 30,000 Swiss entered British North America. Most of them settled in regions of today’s Pennsylvania as well as North and South Carolina. In the next years until 1860 about as many Swiss arrived, making their homes mainly in the Midwestern states such as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. 50,000 came between 1860 and 1880, some 82,000 between 1881 and 1890, and estimated 90,000 more during the next three decades.

In spite of Swiss settlements like Highland (Illinois), New Glarus (Wisconsin), Gruetli (Tennessee) and Bernstadt (Kentucky) were emerging fast, most Swiss preferred rural villages of the Midwest and the Pacific Coast where especially the Italian Swiss were taking part in California’s winegrowing culture, or then took up residence in more industrial and urban regions such as New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis or San Francisco. As the lifestyle and political institutions of the United States were compliant with those of their homeland most Swiss had no problems starting a new life in their part of the New World and became attached to both countries. <ref>[http://www.swissroots.org/swissroots/en/stories/heritage/Swiss%20Emigration%20to%20the%20USA/Swiss%20Settlers.html] "History of Swiss Settlers"</ref>

Swiss immigration diminished after 1930 because of the Great Depression and World War II. 23,700 Swiss arrived until 1960, 29,100 more between 1961 and 1990. Many of them being professionals or employees in American branches of Swiss companies, returned after some time to Switzerland. <ref>[http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Sr-Z/Swiss-Americans.html] "immigration since 1930"</ref>

==Population==
[[File:Swiss ancestry us.gif|thumb|right|300px|[[Maps of American ancestries|Distribution]] of Swiss Americans according to the [[United States Census, 2000|2000 Census]]]]

===Swiss Americans by numbers===
{|
|-
| valign="Top" |
According to the 2000 United States Census <ref>http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html</ref>, the 15 cities with the largest populations of Swiss Americans are as follows:

#[[New York, New York]] - 8,108
#[[Los Angeles, California]] - 6,169
#[[San Diego, California]] - 4,349
#[[Portland, Oregon]] - 4,102
#[[Madison, Wisconsin]] - 3,898
#[[Phoenix, Arizona]] - 3,460
#[[Seattle, Washington]] - 3,446
#[[San Francisco, California]] - 3,381
#[[Chicago, Illinois]] - 3,008
#[[San Jose, California]] - 2,661
#[[Columbus, Ohio]] - 2,640
#[[Monroe, Wisconsin]] - 2,582
#[[Houston, Texas]] - 2,226
#[[Salt Lake City, Utah]] - 2,105
#[[Indianapolis, Indiana]] - 1,939
| valign="Top" |
| valign="Top" |
According to the 2007 American Community Survey <ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-context=adp&-qr_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_DP2&-ds_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_&-tree_id=307&-redoLog=false&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=04000US06&-format=&-_lang=en] "2007 American Community Survey by State"</ref>, the states with the largest populations of Swiss Americans are as follows:
#[[California]] - 117,700
#[[Ohio]] - 78,420
#[[Pennsylvania]] - 73,912
#[[Wisconsin]] - 61,134
#[[Illinois]] - 42,194
#[[Indiana]] - 41,540
#[[New York]] - 40,113
#[[Florida]] - 39,001
#[[Texas]] - 37,258
#[[Washington]] - 36,697
#[[Oregon]] - 33,234
#[[Utah]] - 30,606
#[[Missouri]] - 25,809
#[[Michigan]] - 25,533
#[[Arizona]] - 24,485

|}

===Swiss Americans by percentage of total population===
{|
|-
| valign="Top" |
According to the 2000 United States Census <ref>http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html</ref> the highest percentage of Swiss Americans in any town, village or other, are the following:
#[[Berne, Indiana]] - 29.10%
#[[Monticello, Wisconsin]] - 28.82%
#[[New Glarus, Wisconsin]] - 28.26%
#[[Monroe, Wisconsin]] - 18.91%
#[[Pandora, Ohio]] - 18.90%
#[[Argyle, Wisconsin]] - 17.84%
#[[Sugarcreek, Ohio]] - 17.29%
#[[Elgin, Iowa]] - 15.79%
#[[Monroe, Indiana]] - 14.35%
#[[Baltic, Ohio]] - 12.91%
#[[Brickerville, Pennsylvania]] - 11.52%
#[[Albany, Wisconsin]] - 11.51%
#[[Belleville, Wisconsin]] - 11.25%
#[[Blanchardville, Wisconsin]] - 11.21%
#[[Shipshewana, Indiana]] - 10.89%
only cities, towns and villages with at least 500 people included
| valign="Top" |
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According to the 2000 United States Census <ref>http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html</ref> the states with the highest percentage of people of Swiss ancestry are the following:
#[[Utah]] - 1.28%
#[[Wisconsin]] - 0.91%
#[[Idaho]] - 0.87%
#[[Oregon]] - 0.76%
#[[Indiana]] - 0.64%
|}

===Communities settled by Swiss immigrants===
{|
|-
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*[[Sacramento, California]] <ref>http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=12388 "John A. Sutter Jr. Founder and Planner of City of Sacramento ... Was born in Switzerland, October 25, 1826. He was the son of [[John A. Sutter]]..."</ref>
*[[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]] <ref>[http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/ppet/bouquet/page1.asp?|Henry Bouquet and Pennsylvania] "Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission"</ref>
*[[Denver, Colorado]]
*[[Central City, Colorado]]
*[[Berne, Indiana]]
*[[Helvetia, West Virginia]]
*[[Highland, Illinois]]
*[[Naperville, Illinois]]
*[[Hohenwald, Tennessee]]
*[[Gruetli-Laager, Tennessee]]
| valign="Top" |
*[[Monroe, Wisconsin]]
*[[New Bern, North Carolina]]
*[[New Glarus, Wisconsin]]
*[[Bern, Kansas]]
*[[Vernon, Texas]]
*[[Midway, Utah]]
*[[Payson, Utah]]
*[[Tell City, Indiana]]
*[[Grayson County, Virginia]]
*[[Zurich, Montana]]
*[[Sugarcreek, Ohio]]
|}

==Notable Swiss Americans==
{{Main|List of Swiss Americans}}
*[[Renée Zellweger]] (1969 - ) Film actress <ref name=autogenerated1>[http://history.swissroots.org/222.0.html Swiss Roots: Renee Zellweger]</ref>
*[[Herbert Hoover]] (1874 - 1964) 31st President of the United States <ref>[http://history.swissroots.org/112.0.html Swiss Roots: Herbert Hoover]</ref>
*[[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] (1890 - 1969) 34st President of the United States
*[[James Caviezel]] (1968 - ) Film actor <ref name=autogenerated1 />
*[[Jewel (singer)|Jewel]] (1974 - ) singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and author <ref>[http://history.swissroots.org/219.0.html Swiss Roots: Jewel Kilcher]</ref>
*[[Chesley Sullenberger]] (1951 - ) American airline transport pilot (ATP) who successfully carried out the emergency ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, saving the lives of the 155 people on the aircraft. <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/emmental/Held-vom-Hudson-stammt-aus-Wynigen/story/11891131 |title=«Held vom Hudson» stammt aus Wynigen |date=2008-01-20 |publisher=[[Berner Zeitung]] |language=German |accessdate=2009-01-20}}</ref>
*[[Ben Roethlisberger]] (1982 - ) football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL <ref>[http://www.swissroots.org/celebrities/default.asp] "Swiss Roots: How much do you know about your Swiss heritage? Ben Roethlisberger: Honestly, I didn't know a whole lot until recently; then I started feeling it out a little more and hearing a little more about it. Now, when people ask me where I'm from, I'm quick to say, "Well, I'm Swiss." I'm sure I have a lot of things in me, but that's one of the things I tell people—that I'm Swiss."</ref>
*[[Michelle Pfeiffer]] (1958 - ) Film actress <ref>http://www.michellepfeiffer.org/index.php?start_from=10&ucat=&archive=&subaction=&id= "...and my mother is Swiss and Swede."</ref>
*[[Liev Schreiber]] (1976 - ) Film actor
*[[Meryl Streep]] (1949 - ) Film actress
*[[George Lucas]] (1944 - ) Film director <ref>[http://history.swissroots.org/swissroots/en/stories/heritage/Famous%20Swiss%20in%20the%20US/Portraits/George%20Lucas] "His father had mainly Swiss and British roots."</ref>
*[[Marc Forster]] (1969 - ) Film director, raised in [[Davos]] (Switzerland), Swiss mother, holds Swiss citizenship
*[[Jean Piccard]] (1884 - 1963) scientist and high-altitude balloonist
*[[William Wyler]] (1902 – 1981) Film director <ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943758/bio] "Born Willi Wyler ... to a Swiss father and a German mother"</ref>
*[[J. Edgar Hoover]] (1895 - 1972) first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States.

==See also==
{{Portal|United States|Nuvola USA flag alternative.svg}}
{{Portal|Switzerland|Nuvola Swiss flag.svg}}
* [[Swiss people]]
* [[Swiss Brazilian]]
* [[Swiss Chilean]]
* [[Swiss diaspora]]
* [[European American]]
* [[Hyphenated American]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Sr-Z/Swiss-Americans.html Swiss Americans]

{{European Americans}}
{{Swiss diaspora}}

[[Category:American people of Swiss descent| ]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in the United States]]
[[Category:Swiss diaspora|American]]

[[fr:Helvético-Américains]]
[[pl:Amerykanie szwajcarskiego pochodzenia]]