The Viking invasion : an historiography of Norwegian-American literature and its role in Norwegian immigration and the founding of Vesterheimen within America

Graduation Date

2005

Document Type

Project

Program

Other

Program

Thesis/Project (M.S.S.)--Humboldt State University, Emphasis in American History, 2005.

Committee Chair Name

Delores Nason McBroome

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

Viking invasion, Norwegian-American literature, Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Teaching American History, Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Social Science

Abstract

The Viking invasion : an historiography of Norwegian-American literature and its role in Norwegian immigration and the founding of Vesterheimen within America. This study examines what historians have written about Norwegian-American literature and its role in influencing Norwegian immigration to America as well as what has been written about the literature of Vesterheimen, and how this literature helped mold a Norwegian-American social and cultural community. Once the pioneer immigrants had settled in America after 1825, news of America's rich bounty, as well as its pitfalls, soon traveled back to Norway in the form of Immigrant letters. These "America Letters" were very influential in drawing Norwegians to America as well as raising the education level of both immigrants and those family members left behind, and also had a role in increasing demands for a democratization of society in Norway. After the Norwegian immigrants landed in America they were confronted with the cultural dilemma of blending their Norwegian heritage with that of their new homeland. The literature of Vesterhimen arose to guide this process. Such literature fell into four categories: The Norwegian-American press; Norwegian-American publishing houses and literary magazines; verse, ballads, and rural Norwegian-American reading societies; and Norwegian-American short stories and novels. The second part of this project is a ten day unit on immigration intended for 5th-8th grade classrooms. The theme of my unit is immigrants built and continue to build America, and will start by investigating the conditions of early eighteenth century immigrant transportation via sailing ships, and then follows the travels of a group of pioneer Norwegian immigrants. The students will gain an understanding of life for these new settlers by reading a three act play, and then analyze an "America letter" written by Ole Rynning. The unit will end by shifting the focus from these early immigrants to a comparison with present day immigration demographic

https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/xd07gw08q

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