EARLY IMMIGRANT IN MINNESOTA 10 Early immigrant in Minnesota Running head: EARLY IMMIGRANT IN MINNESOTA 1 An observation of Minnesota’s demographic statistical figures created by government officials is likely to show a white tapestry with joint a few scattered threads of color. However, there are those that would argue that this representation is inaccurate and that it is not a true account of the demographic history of Minnesota. It is worth pointing out that over the past 150 years, there have been immigrants from over 60 countries who have come to Minnesota and created a state which however on the face of it may seem homogenous, it enjoys a great legacy that has a rich cultural diversity. The new land of Minnesota presented a new life to these immigrants whereby they encountered new opportunities, made new relations and also encountered new opportunities. This paper therefore intends to look in to the immigration history of Minnesota ranging from the factors that attracted immigrants, impacts of immigration, challenges encountered by the immigrants to advantages of the immigration wave. Minnesota is a land known for its heavy welcome of immigrants. Minnesota has been regarded as a state of immigrants. The first residents, the American Indians, all arrived from different locations and origins. The names of the localities, the waterways and the landmarks around the Minnesota state reflects the waves of immigration that occurred between the 19th and 20th century. Today, immigrants comprise approximately 13% of the Minnesota’s population. In this article, we seek to explore the experiences of the early immigrants in Minnesota. Although there are many immigrants in Minnesota from different locations, this study will focus primarily on the experiences of Hmong, Karen, Latino, Liberian and Somali immigrants. Land and family were significant assets for the immigrants in the Minnesota state. Particularly, it is important to note that there are different groups of people who took refuge as immigrants in Minnesota (Oestergen, 1981). The Latino community makes up the largest proportion of the foreign-born population living in Minnesota. Approximately 7% of the people living in Hennepin and Ramsey counties are Latino. The Hennepin and Ramsey counties are homes to over 64000 people from the Hmong communities. Approximately 3000 Karen refugees came into Minnesota fleeing the violence and war experienced in Burmese civil war. Finally, the United States became home to Liberian and Somali refugees following the civil wars in their countries. Approximately 32 000 refugees from Somali live in Minnesota since the 1990s. Land was owned by families and the immigrants depended on the transition of the land through family lineages. The inheritance of land from one individual to another was done according to the customs and the cultural beliefs of the people involved. Land was particularly used for settlement and agricultural purposes. Other immigrants co ...

1. EARLY IMMIGRANT IN MINNESOTA 10
Early immigrant in Minnesota
Running head: EARLY IMMIGRANT IN MINNESOTA 1
An observation of Minnesota’s demographic statistical figures
created by government officials is likely to show a white
tapestry with joint a few scattered threads of color. However,
there are those that would argue that this representation is
inaccurate and that it is not a true account of the demographic
history of Minnesota. It is worth pointing out that over the past
150 years, there have been immigrants from over 60 countries
who have come to Minnesota and created a state which however
on the face of it may seem homogenous, it enjoys a great legacy
that has a rich cultural diversity. The new land of Minnesota
presented a new life to these immigrants whereby they
encountered new opportunities, made new relations and also
encountered new opportunities. This paper therefore intends to
look in to the immigration history of Minnesota ranging from
the factors that attracted immigrants, impacts of immigration,
challenges encountered by the immigrants to advantages of the
immigration wave.
Minnesota is a land known for its heavy welcome of
immigrants. Minnesota has been regarded as a state of
immigrants. The first residents, the American Indians, all
arrived from different locations and origins. The names of the
localities, the waterways and the landmarks around the
Minnesota state reflects the waves of immigration that occurred
between the 19th and 20th century. Today, immigrants comprise

2. approximately 13% of the Minnesota’s population. In this
article, we seek to explore the experiences of the early
immigrants in Minnesota. Although there are many immigrants
in Minnesota from different locations, this study will focus
primarily on the experiences of Hmong, Karen, Latino, Liberian
and Somali immigrants.
Land and family were significant assets for the immigrants in
the Minnesota state. Particularly, it is important to note that
there are different groups of people who took refuge as
immigrants in Minnesota (Oestergen, 1981). The Latino
community makes up the largest proportion of the foreign-born
population living in Minnesota. Approximately 7% of the
people living in Hennepin and Ramsey counties are Latino. The
Hennepin and Ramsey counties are homes to over 64000 people
from the Hmong communities. Approximately 3000 Karen
refugees came into Minnesota fleeing the violence and war
experienced in Burmese civil war. Finally, the United States
became home to Liberian and Somali refugees following the
civil wars in their countries. Approximately 32 000 refugees
from Somali live in Minnesota since the 1990s. Land was owned
by families and the immigrants depended on the transition of
the land through family lineages. The inheritance of land from
one individual to another was done according to the customs
and the cultural beliefs of the people involved. Land was
particularly used for settlement and agricultural purposes. Other
immigrants could also obtain land through purchasing from
other land owners (Oestergen, 1981).
For the first immigrants, getting to Minnesota was the first
major challenge they experienced. Even if they possessed the
wherewithal to their passage, the journey across the ocean often
lasted for numerous weeks in overcrowded and unhealthy
conditions. According to Johnson (2014), the immigrants often
faced attacks from the other ethnic groups that came into
Minnesota. As a result of the difference in ethnicity, Johnson
(2014) explains that language barrier became a major challenge
especially because most of the immigrants chose to retain their

3. native language. While many modern refugees arrive in the
western countries through the use of planes, early refugees used
ships with significant proportions of those onboard dying from
the strong and cold winds on the ocean. They experienced
anxiety and hardships especially in cases where they had to be
separated from their relatives whom they had to wait for months
if not years to be reunited.
After their arrival in Minnesota, the next major challenge was
obtaining a job or a source of livelihood. It is important and
worthwhile noting that most immigrants arrived into Minnesota
with little education and few assets which made it difficult for
them to acquire employment in the cities they were settled.
However, most of them had transferable life skills such as
farming and carpentry thus making it easier to find employment
in the frontier states. Language difficulties even made it
difficult to survive in the new land of Minnesota. Since most of
the immigrants in Minnesota were not from English-speaking
countries, they were required to train themselves to read, write
and speak English in order to be in a position to communicate
with the residents and other people in Minnesota (Cameron,
2010). Those with a low awareness of English could only secure
low-paying employment opportunities while those who were
fortunate enough to learn English were in a position to secure
themselves well-paying jobs in Minnesota. Language barriers
have existed as a major challenge for both the early immigrants
as well as the most recent immigrants. The other major concern
for the immigrants in Minnesota was money (Cameron, 2010).
Becoming fully established in the new home is a common goal
of all the immigrants into Minnesota. This means purchasing a
home, settling in and making significant contributions to the
society in general. As was earlier explained, most arrived in
their new homes with few possessions and as such finding it
considerably difficult to make ends meet. The numerous cycles
of the global economic recessions have made it difficult for
these immigrants to attain their American dreams.

4. In conclusion, although the immigrants in Minnesota are of
significant importance to the development of the state, most of
them still live under challenging environments several decades
since their entry. According to Cameron (2010), immigrants
contribute significantly to the growth of the Minnesota’s
economy in terms of consuming the products and services from
Minnesota, providing labour, paying taxes and revenues and
establishing entrepreneurial premises, all which contribute to
the development of the state. With this understanding, the
community leaders and the state government have a
responsibility of ensuring their smooth transition from their
original environments to the new Minnesota environment.
Specifically, the leaders should put more efforts into learning
the ways of life of these people and thus provide them with
environments best suited for their transition.
Those known settlers followed herds of large game to the region
during the last glacial period. They came with different stiles of
living. They introduced in culture in the region. Also, they had
new way of ruling. They demanded to have their own leaders
who will govern them and show what they were supposed to do.
The rail roads that were there in those times, attracted
immigrants. They came and ventured in natural resources as
well as making farming as their activity. This to some extent
boosted the economy and brought goods to the market. The
economic development and social changes that they brought
them with, led to an expanded role for state government and a
population shift rural areas to cities with developments.
There was introduction of technology as a result of immigrants
at Minnesota. Since there were mining activities that were
taking place in Minnesota city, they involved themselves in
those activities in order to get a daily bread. They made the
activity of mining simpler by providing and inventing programs
that helped the state to work on them efficiently. After the 2nd
world war, the Minnesota was fueled by early computer
companies Sperry Rand, Control Data and Cray. There were also
institutions that were set up becoming the regional centre for

5. arts with cultural institutions.
Around the 19th century, there emerged some towns through the
landscape. The town was want to serve Minnesota’s growing
agricultural, forestry and mining activities that were taking
place in the area. With time. The large communities expanded
over wider areas while other smaller communities atrophied.
Due to the immigrants coming, there were twin cities and that
was in those faster growing parts of the state. This greatly
affected the economy of Minnesota city and the immigrants
were contributing to the economy (Oestergen, 1981). The
change in the economy was positive meaning the immigrants
had an idea of business. If the immigrants were properly
supported in terms of the project, then they would have brought
totally different and sound effects to the society.
By the end of the 2nd world war.the younger Minnesotas started
moving back to the twin cities area from other parts of the state
or were forced to move out of the states in search of
employment. At the end of 21st century, the only about one –
third of Minnesotas resided in rural areas and about and about
two-fifths of this group were age 65 and other above the age.
The population densities between the southern and eastern parts
of the Minnesota are greatest and then decline when
approaching towards the north and west. The population
pulsation, growth since the late 20th century has occurred many
among the foregn-bron population.
The exploitation of Minnesota was relatively related to the
exploitation of its primarynatural resources: soils, timber. Iron
ore and timber that in turn stimulated the growth of such
ancillary activities as railroad building, natural resource
processing and agricultural implement manufacturing. During
the late 1960s and early 1970s,these began to decline, and
service-related industries started to flourish. Agriculture,
however remains one of the Minnesota’s major industries
Today, Minnesota has invested a lot in agriculture, forestry and
fishing. Virtually, all priaries had been cultivated by the turn of
the 20th century.That coniferous forestland the had ben cleared,

6. today has been covered again again through forestation that has
been carried out by Minnesota immigrant people. This has
contributed to the beauty and physical look of Minnesota. The
most valuable and productive farmland of Minnesota lies across
the southern quarter of the state , with mosts areas having
fertile prairie soils and hot,humid summer weather where some
crops like corn and soybeans can do well in such areas
(Johnson, 2014). Small grains and specialty crops thrive in the
Red River valley, where the growing season is shorter and the
humidity is lower than in southern Minnesota. The major crops
grown here include wheat, hay, sugar beets and barley.
Also as time went by, the immigrants of Minnesota realized
there was need to start fishing. Mostly, the fishing activities
took place in Lake Superior but a reduced population of fish led
to its decline in the late 20th century. Still, Lake Superior trout
and whitefish are available in modest volume, and herring is
abundant but less popular. There came a time when there was a
ban but the ban was lifted later following a restocking effort.
Sport fishing is popular in the states major streams and rivers.
With continued lack of job os the Minnesota immigrants,
they saw it was good to come up with industries. About three-
fourths of Minnesotans are employed in the service industry.
The unemployment of Minnesotan was brought about by lack of
education. The industrialization has seen other sectors to grow
in the town and other urban areas. The lack of jobs by the
immigrants led them to have ideas of how to keep up with the
standards of living. (Cameron, 2010)
In conclusion the land of Minnesota presented a new life to the
immigrants away from their place of origin. The immigrants
built new relationships and integrated with other people whom
they came across thus a new identity of the state was reborn.
Often when there is a debate about race in America the general
idea is always about white and black. However, a closer look in
to the demographics of Minnesota shows that there are other
groups that slip through but there presence in Minnesota is hard
to ignore. Minnesota therefore is therefore changing the

7. perception of the race relations in America given that it has a
large proportion of different races The tremendous cultural
diversity of Minnesota, which is typically an American
characteristic, confirms true the most quoted saying that
America is a land of immigrants. The integration of these
diverse cultures to create a united state of course has taken a lot
of effort in light of the inevitable l conflict that often emerges
due to cultural rivalry.
References
Cameron, L. (2010). The Minnesota Immigrant Experience.
Common threads, 97-105.
Johnson, D. L (2014) Listening to the Pierie Swedish American
Geologist 24 (1)5-8
Oestergen, R.C (1981). Land and family in rural immigrant
communities, Annals of the association of American
Geographers, 71 (3), 400-411