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Americanization of Wisconsin
A
number of factors stimulated the settlement
of Wisconsin. During the years between the War
of 1812 and the Civil War, Wisconsin transformed
from a frontier to a civilization. American
interest in settling in Wisconsin was stimulated
with the publishing of Travels through the Interior
Posts of North America, in the Years 1766, 1767,
and 1768. This book, written by Jonathan Carver,
a New England soldier, explorer, and mapmaker,
became a best settler in America and England.
His emphasis on the beauty of the land and the
fertile soil brought interest in Wisconsin that
went beyond fur trading. Although American settlement
did not begin until after the War of 1812, Carter's
descriptions opened the eyes of settlers looking
for new land. Descriptions, such as the passage
that follows, made Wisconsin seem very desirable.
| The
land adjacent from the lake (Winnebago)
is very fertile, abounding with grapes,
plums, and other fruits, which grow spontaneously.
The Winnebagoes raise on it a great quantity
of Indian corn, beans, pumpkins, squash,
and water melons, with some tobacco. The
Lake itself abounds with fish, and in the
fall of the year, with geese, ducks, and
teal. The later, which resort to it in great
numbers, are remarkably good and extremely
fat, and are much better flavoured than
those that are found near the sea, as they
acquire their excessive fatness by feeding
on the wild rice, which grow so plentifully
in these parts. (6) |
Substantial
settlement began with the discovery of lead
in southwestern Wisconsin. Lead was used in
paint and shot (for guns), creating a huge demand
in the 1820s. The Wisconsin lead mines drew
laborers from the southern states, mainly Kentucky
and Tennessee. The population boom in the lead
region increased the number of settlers from
200 in 1825 to 4,000 in 1826.(7)
The next population boom occurred near Milwaukee.
The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 provided
transportation for those wanting to settle in
the Great Lakes region, especially farmers.
During this time, waterways dictated Mid-Western
settlement patterns. All of the major towns
were settled near water, such as Milwaukee,
Cincinnati, and Chicago. The lead regions of
the south and the farming regions further north
brought the settlement of many professionals,
including lawyers, doctors, and teachers who
helped the social, educational, and political
progress of the state.
As
the settlement of the state continued, the nature
of industry would change. With the emergence of
railroads in the mid-Nineteenth century, farming
emerged from subsistence into cash crop. Wheat
growers depended on transportation to reach larger
markets. Advances in equipment made farming a
very expensive undertaking, limiting it to businesses
with capital rather than individuals. The wooded
areas of northern Wisconsin fueled a lumber industry
that was in high demand due to the increased settlement.
Mining continued to be an important industry after
statehood, but it too transformed into big business
after the mechanization of many mining techniques.
Mining in the south, lumber in the north, and
farming in-between supported the new state throughout
the 19th century.
| Table 2: Transformation
to the State of Wisconsin |
|
Years
|
Title
|
|
1800-1809
|
Indiana Terrotory
|
|
1809-1818
|
Illinois Terrotory
|
|
1818-1836
|
Michigan Territory
|
|
1836-1848
|
Wisconsin Territory
|
|
1848-Present
|
State of Wisconsin
|
The
government in territorial Wisconsin and during
early statehood was one of corruption and disorganization.
Business in the state was brought down because
of the lack of trust in western bank notes and
the lack of credit for internal projects. Settlers
hoped that statehood would help stimulate the
economy, but they would be disappointed. The corruption
in the government during the territorial period
continued into statehood. In 1853, there was an
attempt to impeach Circuit Court Justice Levi
Hubbell on account of bribery, embezzlement, and
abuse of authority. The Governor, William A. Barstow,
was charged with school fraud and catering to
big business and land speculators. The corruption
was so severe that his administration became known
as the "Forty Thieves."(8)
He would later be cleared of all charges, thus
paving the way for further corruption and damage
to the state's credibility. The Panic of 1857
and the depression that followed became the economic
and political low point of Wisconsin's early statehood.
The panic bankrupted the railroads, severely hindering
an already struggling economy. Many farmers would
feel the affects of this as they lost transportation
for their crops and because many held stock in
the railroad companies. Only 900 miles of track
were laid in Wisconsin by 1860.(9)
The social construct of the state was also in
peril, especially the schools. Teachers were scarce
and schoolhouses were crowded. Those who could
afford it sent their children away to private
schools. The poor economic, political, and social
situation of Wisconsin would not be completely
remedied until the end of the Civil War.
Abolition and the Civil War in Wisconsin
The
abolition failed to acquire a substantial following
in the state of Wisconsin. Most of Wisconsin's
residents were not involved in the slavery issue
at all. Those who did become abolitionists were
usually from New York or New England, or took
part in the general moral reform movement that
had stemmed from the Second Great Awakening, a
religious revival that swept the United States
during the first four decades of the 19th century.
This revival was felt especially strong on the
frontier, and was responsible for bringing increased
church organization to Wisconsin in the 1830s
and 1840s. From this heightened morality came
the temperance (anti-alcohol) movement. The first
temperance society in Wisconsin was formed in
Green Bay in 1832.(10)
More temperance societies would spring up throughout
the state over the next decade. The morality ingrained
in the participants of the temperance movement
branched out to the issue of slavery during the
1840s and 1850s. Many Wisconsinites believed that
holding slaves was morally wrong and many felt
sympathy for fugitive slaves. The first anti-slavery
society in Wisconsin was formed in 1842. This
society joined with the Wisconsin branch of the
Liberty Party to create the Wisconsin Liberty
Party Association in 1846. An abolitionist newspaper,
the American Freeman, was created in Waukesha,
serving as an outlet for abolitionist thought.
The newspaper's editor, Sherman Booth, was arrested
for aiding the escape of the fugitive slave, Joshua
Glover. The legal battle that ensued led the Wisconsin
Supreme Court to nullify the Fugitive Slave Law
on grounds of state's rights.
The
outbreak of the Civil War greatly affected the
State of Wisconsin. With the war came stronger
economic ties with the east, as Milwaukee would
become an important manufacturing and trade center.
Agriculture and lumber industries found new business
opportunities brought on by the demand for war
goods. The Mississippi River and the Great Lakes
became major transportation centers, employing
many Wisconsin sailors. New industries sprang
up during this time, such as meatpacking and cheese
making. The state's government being predominantly
Republican supported the Union. The majority of
citizens in the state were also pro-Union, but
their reasons differed. Most wanted to stop the
Southern secession in order to preserve the union,
others wanted the war to end slavery. There was
some dissent among Wisconsin citizens during the
war. A group of German immigrants held draft protests
in 1862, but these were mild in comparison to
the Draft Riots of New York. A small minority
of Copperheads, or peace Democrats, opposed the
war, but for the most part, Wisconsinites strongly
supported the war effort. Once the war began,
then governor, Alexander Randall, immediately
offered resources and soldiers to the federal
government. Wisconsin's soldiers trained at camps
in Milwaukee, Fond du Lac, Racine, and at Camp
Randall in Madison. Wisconsin's most infamous
fighting unit was the Iron Brigade, which was
composed of the 2nd, 6th, 7th Wisconsin Volunteers,
the 19th Indiana regiment, and the 24th Michigan
regiment. The Iron Brigade fought in the Battle
of the Potomac, Gainesville, Antietam, and Gettysburg.
Some of Wisconsin's regiments were organized by
ethnic group, such as the German 9th, 26th, 27th,
and 45th regiments. There were also all Norwegian
and an all-Irish regiments.(11)
Over 91,000 Wisconsin men fought and over
12,000 died during the Civil War. (12)
Wisconsin's Population
During
the Nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Wisconsin
expanded from a frontier territory into a fully
functioning state, due mainly to increased migration
and immigration. Under French and British control,
the white population of Wisconsin was limited
to a few fur traders. The first significant migration
to the area came with the discovery of lead in
the southwestern part of the state. This discovery
brought many miners from the south. Settlement
continued in the 1850s along the coast of the
Great Lakes from Green Bay to Prairie du Chien.
The majority of American-born settlers came from
New England and New York. These Yankees brought
many assets to Wisconsin, including a strong Protestant
work ethic, money, and education. Many of Wisconsin's
early doctors, lawyers, politicians, and surveyors
were Yankees. The 1860s and 1870s saw increased
European immigration that further populated the
state. Settlers moved in a V-shaped pattern along
both sides of the state, populating the northern
upland last, near the turn of the century.(13)
| Table
3: Wisconsin's Population, 1850(14) |
|
Place of Origin
|
Population in Wisconsin
|
| American
Born Settlers |
|
| Northeastern |
103,371
|
| Wisconsin-Born |
63,015
|
| Northwestern |
21,367
|
| Southern |
5,425
|
|
Total
|
193,178
|
| English-Speaking
Immigrants |
|
|
Irish |
21,043
|
| English |
18,952
|
| Welsh |
4,319
|
| Scottish |
3,527
|
|
Total
|
47,841
|
| Non-English-Speaking
Immigrants |
|
| German |
38,054
|
| Norwegians |
8,600
|
| Swedes |
1,244
|
| Danes |
1,157
|
|
Swiss |
1,244
|
| Dutch |
1,157
|
| French
Canadian |
8,277
|
|
Total
|
59,733
|
|
Grand Total
|
300,752
|
European
immigration played a major role in Wisconsin settlement.
Wisconsin gained settlers from all over Europe,
but the majority would come from northern Europe
and Germany. Among the northern European immigrants
were those from Great Britain. English, Irish,
Scottish, and Welsh immigrants accounted for a
significant percentage of Wisconsin's immigrants.
The first English immigrants to arrive in Wisconsin
came from the peninsula of Cornwall. These Cornish
immigrants brought with them mining skills acquired
back home, putting them to use in the lead regions
of Wisconsin during the 1830s and 1840s. They
would dominate these lead mines until mining opportunities
elsewhere, such as the California Gold Rush, drew
them away. British immigrants from other parts
of England began arriving in Wisconsin during
the 1840s in search of better jobs and farmland.
They usually settled amongst the Yankees and assimilated
themselves into society rather quickly. Irish
immigration to Wisconsin was both direct and indirect.
Some Irish came directly to Wisconsin from Ireland
in flight of the potato famine of the 1840s. Others
arrived indirectly from Canada or the east coast.
The majority of these Irish immigrants were Catholic,
but a minor constituency of Protestant Scotch-Irish
immigrants from Northern Ireland also arrived.
By 1860, Irish made up eight percent of the workforce
and were employed as farmers, day laborers, teamsters,
canal workers, and railroad workers.(15)
Welsh and Scottish immigrants were few in comparison
to the English and the Irish. Many Scottish came
to Wisconsin via New York and settled amongst
the Yankees and the British immigrants. Welsh
immigrants began arriving during the 1840s. This
group tended to settle together in their own communities.
The first Welsh enclaves developed in Waukesha
County. Others were formed in Columbia, Iowa,
Racine, and Winnebago Counties.
Germans
accounted for the majority of European immigration
to Wisconsin. They began to arrive in large numbers
during the 1840s as well. There were a number
of reasons for the Germans' exodus, including
overpopulation, loss of land, crop failures, and
industrial displacement. Some wanted to avoid
the military draft, while others sought religious
freedom. The failed Revolutions of 1848 prompted
some to leave for political reasons. Wisconsin
provided a perfect landscape for the German immigrant;
fertile land attracted the displaced farmer and
the industrial city of Milwaukee attracted the
factory workers. At this time, Germany was not
yet a country; the area remained a conglomerate
of kingdoms until 1871. German immigrants bonded
together and formed a cohesive ethnic identity
in Wisconsin through numerous social clubs, schools,
churches, and benevolent societies.
The Scandinavian and other northern European countries
also provided Wisconsin with a large number of
immigrants. Immigrants from Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
Finland, and Iceland were all represented in Wisconsin
during the 19th century. Norway provided the largest
number of immigrants of all Scandinavian countries.
Wisconsin was a major destination point for many
Norwegians; out of the 44,000 that had arrived
in America by 1860, nearly half settled in Wisconsin.(16)
They settled very cohesively, usually with people
from the same town or parish. The first Norwegian
immigrants settled in Wisconsin in 1838, and by
1850 there were large settlements in Jefferson
Prairie, Rock Prairie, Muskego, and Koshkonog.
By 1870, one-quarter of Wisconsin's Norwegians
lived in an area that spanned from Crawford County
north to Barron County. There was also a significant
Swedish presence in Wisconsin. The Swedish immigrant
Gustav Unonius founded the town of New Uppsala
in Waukesha County in 1841. Small numbers of Swedes
arrived in the 1840s and 1850s. This group usually
settled among the Norwegians in Koshkonog. The
most prevalent wave of Swedish immigration began
in the 1860s as crop failures and overpopulation
forced many Swedish farmers to look for land elsewhere.
By the time these settlers arrived in Wisconsin,
much of the state's good farmland had already
been claimed, forcing the Swedes to settle on
the cutover (from logging) regions of the north.
Finnish immigrants wouldn't arrive in Wisconsin
until the 1880s, and like the Swedes, they settled
in the north. By 1910, Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland,
Iron, and Price Counties contained two-thirds
of Wisconsin's Finnish immigrants.(17)
Many found work in the iron mines of the Gogebic
Range or in the stone quarries of Marionette and
Waushara Counties. Danish and Icelanders also
settled in Wisconsin. Racine became the central
destination for Danish immigrants arriving in
America after the Civil War. By 1900, Wisconsin
had over 33,000 people of Danish heritage.(18)
Icelanders began to arrive in the state during
the 1870s. Many settled among Danes on Washington
Island. Washington Island is the oldest known
Icelandic settlement in the United States.
The mass immigration of people from southern Europe
did not affect Wisconsin as dramatically as did
immigration from northern Europe, but none-the-less
a representation of immigrants from southern and
eastern Europe could be seen here. Small numbers
of Poles, Italians, Czechs, and Swiss came to
the state during the late 19th century. Poland,
which was separated between the German, Russian,
and Austro-Hungarian Empires during the 19th century,
provided a wave of immigrants during the 1870s
and 1880s. Most were from the German-controlled
region of the empire. These immigrants settled
mainly in Milwaukee County, and were active in
forming churches, clubs, and newspapers. Significant
numbers of Italians began arriving in Wisconsin
during the 1890s. Most of the Italians arrived
to take jobs in the mines of the southeast and
the north. Italian immigration to Wisconsin was
usually indirect; the majority lived in Chicago
before migrating to Wisconsin. In Milwaukee, Italian
enclaves developed in Milwaukee's 3rd Ward, Racine,
Kenosha, and Madison's Greenbush neighborhood.
Czechs and Swiss were also representatives of
eastern European immigration to Wisconsin. Czechs
settled along Lake Michigan from Racine to Kewaunee
and founded the towns of Pilsen and Krok.(19)
Many Swiss immigrants arrived before 1870 and
settled in Green County. The area became the largest
center of Swiss farming in America and was known
as "Swissconsin." Foreign immigration combined
with domestic migration helped to extend the progress
of the state during the 19th century.
Wisconsin's Gilded Age
The late 19th century is known as the Gilded Age
in American history. Gilded, which literally translates
to "covered in gold," describes the emergence
of wealth due to the rise of big business. The
Gilded Age, taking place after the Civil War,
is known as a peaceful and lucrative time in American
history. This is only partly true. While large
corporations made huge sums of money by monopolizing
their industry, others suffered. Backlash to the
politics and monopolization of big business was
witnessed through the emergence of the Granger
movement and labor unions. Frustrated citizens
prompted action, leading to the progressive movement
of the early 20th century.
In Wisconsin, big business was represented by
the lumber and railroad industries. Lumber became
the biggest industry in the state due to the demands
of settlers. The major timber areas were found
near Green Bay and around the Wolf, Wisconsin,
Black, Chippewa, and St. Croix Rivers. Railroads
played a crucial role in the growth of the lumber
business. Transportation provided by the railroads
enabled lumber businesses to reach distant and
larger markets. Timber also gave birth to related
industries in Wisconsin, including the production
of doors, blinds, furniture, caskets, wagons,
and paper. By 1905, Wisconsin ranked fifth in
the nation for paper production.(20)
The lumber industry continued to grow during
the Gilded Age until peaking in 1892. It then
began a slow decline as the industry moved to
the Pacific Northwest, but it remained a vital
element of Wisconsin's economy well into the 20th
century.
Another major industry that emerged during Wisconsin's
Gilded Age was the production of cheese. The agricultural
shift to dairying led to an increased production
of cheese. The first cheese factory in Wisconsin
opened in 1872. Shortly after, a group of dairymen
organized the Wisconsin Dairymen's Association.
This group came together to improve cheese production
technology, science, and advertising. In order
to compete with the cheese industry of New York,
they shipped their cheese in refrigerated railroad
cars. By 1890, more than 1,000 cheese factories
produced 53,708,595 pounds of cheese worth over
$4 million.(21)
Reaction to the corrupt practices of big business
came from the Farmers' Alliance and Granger movements,
as well as from the labor movement. High railroad
prices brought farmers together in protest during
the 1870s. From this agitation, the first "Granger
law" was passed in 1873. This law, called the
Potter Law, restricted the power of the railroad.
It proved to be too restricting and would be replaced
by the Vance Act two years later. Although the
Granger movement was successful in passing a law,
Wisconsin farmers did not become as involved in
the movement as farmers in other agricultural
states. Instead, they moved from wheat farming
to dairying, which proved to be much more lucrative.
Although not an aggressively strong movement,
the Granger law did set a precedent for the government
involvement in business affairs, which became
important in the reform movement of the Progressive
Age. Labor unions also challenged the domination
of big business. Unions became especially strong
in the cities. By the 1880s, all types of laborers
belonged to unions. One of the largest labor unions,
the Knights of Labor, peaked at 16,000 Wisconsin
members.(22)
One of the unions' major concerns was for the
eight-hour workday. The government was not receptive
to union tactics or demands, which became apparent
when eight people were killed during a strike
at the Bay View Iron Works in 1886. However, unionism
remained a force well into the 20th century, aiding
the state and country into a period of reform.
|
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(6)Jonathan
Carver, Travels Through the Interior Parts of
North America, in the Years 1766,1767, and 1768,
(Minneapolis: Ross & Haines, Inc., 1956), 37-38.
(7) Larry Garra,
A Short History of Wisconsin, (Madison: The State
Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1962), 39.
(8)Garra, 79.
(9)Garra, 81.
(10) "Abolition
and Other Reforms," Turning Points of Wisconsin
History,
< www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/tp-021/?action=more_essay>
(11)Garra,
110.
(12)The Wisconsin
Cartographers Guild, Wisconsin's Past and Present,
A Historical Atlas, (Madison: The University of
Wisconsin Press, 1998), 86.
(13)
La Vern J. Rippley, The Immigrant Experience
in Wisconsin, (Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1985),
9.
(14) Ingolf
Vogeler, Wisconsin, A Geography, (Boulder and
London: Westview Press, 1986), 65.
(15) Wisconsin's
Past and Present, 17.
(16) Wisconsin's
Past and Present, 20.
(17) Wisconsin's
Past and Present, 20.
(18) Wisconsin's
Past and Present, 20.
(19) Wisconsin's
Past and Present, 23.
(20)
Garra, 144.
(21) Garra,151.
(22)
Garra, 161.
|
By
Rickie Lazzerini
Historian
BA History
University of California, Santa Barbara
Index
of Historical Reviews
© 2006 Rickie Lazzerini,
All Rights Reserved
This page may be freely linked to but may not
be reproduced
in any form without prior written consent from
the author.
|
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