German Americans

Today, more Americans claim German ancestry than claim ancestry from any other ethnic group. Driven by overpopulation, poverty, and constant warfare among neighboring religious factions, large-scale emigration from Germany occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries. Once in America, German immigrants found prosperity in farming, industry, and science. Germans played a considerable role in shaping agricultural life in America, and - as demonstrated by popular festivals and celebrations such as Oktoberfest and German-American Day - German culture continues to have a strong influence in the fabric of American society.