New Sweden in America

by Carol E. Hoffecker, Melvin J. Friedman (Editor), Richard Waldron

Although it was the first permanent European settlement in the Delaware River valley, the New Sweden colony has long been ignored by American colonial historians. To right this omission, and to mark the 350th anniversary of the founding of the New Sweden colony, the University of Delaware sponsored an international conference, "New Sweden in Scandinavian Pioneers and Their Legacy" in March of 1988. This event brought together twenty-eight scholars from Sweden, Finland, and the United States who represented several fields, including history, anthropology, and geography. The conference papers, collected in New Sweden in America, present the first look at the New Sweden colony since the advent of modern historical methods.
The essays in this volume examine the economic and social lives of a political entity, as well as its political structures. The topics discussed include an examination of the European environment from which the colonial venture came, the colonists' relations with the Native Americans, and the Swedish and Finnish settlers' adaptation to colonial life. The essays depict seventeenth-century Sweden as it emerged from its traditional ways and isolation into the dynamic world of Western European international politics and trade, and the failed attempts to bring European mercantilist policies to New Sweden.
The fascinating stories of the trade between the Swedish and Dutch settlers and the Susquehannock and Lenni Lenape Indians, the development of pidgin languages to facilitate the trade, the devout Lutheran religious observations of the colonists, and the introduction of Finnish construction methods (especially the log cabin) are all described in this volume. To encourage further scholarship in this field, the contributors identify topics for future study and delineate where original colonial documents may be found on both sides of the Atlantic.

Genres: History

366 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Carol E. Hoffecker, a native Delawarean is Richards Professor Emeritus at the University of Delaware where she taught for thirty years. She is the author of many books and journal articles about Delaware, Delawareans, the city of Wilmington and the University of Delaware.

Among her publications are: Corporate Capital: Wilmington in the Twentieth Century (1983), Delaware, the First State (1988), Federal Justice in the First State, A History of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (1992), Beneath Thy Guiding Hand: A History of Women at the University of Delaware (1994), Honest John Williams, U.S. Senator from Delaware (2000), and Democracy in Delaware (2004).

Reviews

[Murtaza · Rating 4 out of 5]

💙 The book offers a richly detailed look into the often-overlooked history of the New Sweden colony and the Nordic contributions to early America. What stood out most to me was how the essays wove together political, cultural, and social perspectives—covering everything from trade with Native American tribes, to religious life, to the remarkable introduction of Finnish log cabin construction methods that still resonate in American architecture today.

As someone who loves Swedish and Nordic history, I found the level of detail especially rewarding. It reminded me of my own visits to the American Swedish Historical Museum, which was my first introduction to this fascinating story of Swedish and Dutch settlement in the Delaware Valley. This book deepened that appreciation by showing how the culture and achievements of these early pioneers can still be seen and felt even today. Beyond the history, I also admire the broader Nordic legacy—their food and cuisine, as well as their modern education systems, which remain models of innovation and excellence.

Overall, New Sweden in America is not only a valuable resource for educators and historians, but also a highly engaging read for anyone with a passion for history and cultural heritage. It bridges scholarly insight with vivid storytelling, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the Nordic imprint on early American life. 💛