The Scandinavian Element in the United States / University of Illinois Studies in the Social Sciences, Vol. 111, No. 3, September, 1914

The study examines Scandinavian immigration to the United States—focusing on Swedes, Norwegians, and Danes—and traces patterns from early arrivals through the mass movements of the nineteenth century, their settlement and expansion across the Upper Midwest, and demographic distribution between 1850 and 1900. It analyzes economic motives and occupations, religious and intellectual orientations, social characteristics and community life, and political behavior at local and state levels, supplemented by statistical tables and county studies. The author combines narrative history with critical appraisal of sources to assess how these immigrant groups contributed to regional development and civic institutions.