After receiving support from the British government to immigrate to America in the early 1700’s, about 13,500 Germans traveled to England, and then from England most traveled to America. In 1710, on one trip to America, about 450 of the 2,800 immigrants died during the voyage. One very renowned German immigrant was John Jacob Aster, who became a very wealthy fur trader. In 1776, one third of Pennsylvania’s population was estimated to consist of German immigrants.

Many German immigrants came to America after the unsuccessful German Revolution of 1848 when the German people lost faith in their government’s capability to resolve economic troubles. Political disorder also stimulated the immigration of Germans to America. Over the next ten years following the revolution, approximately a million Germans came to America. More than 100,000 Germans lived in New York and about 130,000 lived in Chicago. In Chicago, Germans represented their culture through bands and music groups. A German theater was also present in this city.