German Americans are citizens of the United States who were either born in Germany or are of German ancestry. They comprise about 50 million people, making them the largest ancestry group ahead of Irish Americans, African Americans and English Americans. They comprise about 1/3 of the German diaspora all over the world. None of the German states had New World colonies. Not until the 1670s did the first significant groups of German immigrants arrive in the British colonies, settling primarily in New York and Pennsylvania. Immigration continued in very large numbers during the 19th century, with some eight million arrivals from Germany. They were pulled by the attractions of land and religious freedom, and pushed out of Europe by shortages of land and religious or political oppression. Many arrived seeking religious or political freedom, others for economic opportunities greater than those in Europe, and others simply for the chance to start fresh in the New World. The arrivals before 1850 were mostly farmers who sought out the most productive land, where their intensive farming techniques would pay off. After 1840, many came to cities, where "Germania"—German-speaking districts—soon emerged. Wikipedia [ - ]

German Americans are citizens of the United States who were either born in Germany or are of... [ + ]