APPENDIX 19-L
PETITIONS BY GERMAN TENANT FARMERS IN 1848 (Questions)


  1. Which of the demands of these German tenant farmers were economic and which were political? On what would you base your distinctions between these two terms?

    Explain the relationship of the economic and political demands in the petition.

  2. Which of these demands, mentioned in the petition, were raised earlier in American history, and which of them are contained in the American Consitution?

  3. Why do you suppose some German tenant farmers emigrated to the United States? Letters by immigrants home to Germany often designated the United States as "the land of promise and liberty" or "the land of plenty and freedom." Which of these motives for emigration was more important for the people you read about earlier [two letters by the Norwegian immigrants, Gjert G. Hovland and Sjur J. Haaeim (Appendix 19-F and Appendix 19-G) and the German immigrant Joseph Conde (Appendix 19-H)?

  4. Look back at the poster, "Urgent Warning for Emigrating Girls" (Appendix 19-A) and "A Caricature Depicting the Dream of the Good Life in America" (Appendix 19-E). Among the people who saw such posters and caricatures there were possibly some tenant farmers. Do you think the posters served their interests? Why would someone like the government oficial from Nassau (Appendix 19-K) like to see such caricatures and posters published? Which of the pictures, the poster or the caricature, shows more real concern for emigrants or people planning emigrate?

  5. Which of the following these best explains the effect of emigration to the United States on Germany (and other countries)? Choose one of the theses and try to find reasons why you believe the others are less convincing:

    Are there more recent examples in history that can be explained by one of these theses?


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Learning About Our World: Germany
Ohio Department of Education
Last Updated: 14 April 1997, ARK