@Esqy

It isn't dwelled upon very much because of what happened in Europe and what was revealed when the allied forces went into Germany and Austria, etc., but.....

Pre-War (WW2), the pro-German movement was quite active. The German-American Bund was pretty strong. And celebrities like Charles Lindbergh were openly sympathetic to Germany. Prescott Bush, G.W. Bush's grandfather, was also among the Germany supporters.

And, as you know, America did not enter the War against Germany, so to speak. In response to the attack on Pearl Harbor, America declared war on Japan. Because of the Axis Treaty, Germany, in turn, declared war on America.

Fight Like Warlord

President John Kennedy wrote about that vote in his book, Profiles In Courage, which won the Pulitzer I think. In his book, he makes it sound like the actual decision to speak German was decided by one vote. The whole book details congressional votes decided by one vote, the goes into the stories of the people who cast the deciding vote. Another talked about in that book was the impeachment of Andrew Johnson.

Also, I'm not sure the majority of the population was Anglo-Saxon. Pennsylvania was mostly Dutch and German, remember that New York City was actually originally called New Amsterdam I think. When the colonies were first founded, maybe they were mostly Anglo-Saxon, I don't know. But by the time this vote came about, the country was much more diverse.

Edited by - awdougherty on 3/22/2004 9:17:53 AM

@awd.

Well, I looked up the census data for the 1790s because of what you noted.

Here's what came out of it. Mind you, I did not list out every State but I picked out
5 of the most populous States.

Total US population in 1790 2,452,451

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> All>>>>>>>>>>>> German>>>>>>>>>>>>>Dutch
Total in New York >>>>>>>>>314,366>>>>>>>>1,103>>>>>>>>>>>>50,600
Total in Pennsylvania >>>>>>423,373>>>>>>110,357>>>>>>>>>>>>>2,623
Total in Virginia>>>>>>>>>>>128,112>>>>>>>>6,277>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>247
Total in Massachusetts>>>>>370,264>>>>>>>>>>>53>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>428
Total in Connecticut>>>>>>> 232,236>>>>>>>>>>>>4>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>258
Total in North Carolina>>>>>265,334>>>>>>>>>7,422>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>405

5 State Total>>>>>>>>>>>>1,733,685>>>>>>>125,216>>>>>>>>>>>>54,561

I was wrong in thinking there were more Dutch than German. There were way more German like you said, in Pennsylvania. But while significant in number, just
about a quarter of the population in Pennsylvania. Across the country, about 5% of then total popoulation. In the 5 state sampling, less than 10%..

<Edit>

Ooops. Sorry for the eyesore.

I guess I can't do columns on this thread. well, the number can be drilled up at this site University of Viriginia

Edited by - Indy11 on 3/22/2004 11:34:56 AM

Edited by - Indy11 on 3/22/2004 11:46:16 AM

We Dutch almost ruled the world... But we'll be back, trust me!

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