The first German settlement in Pennsylvania was founded in 1683. The tide of German immigration to Pennsylvania swelled between 1725 and 1775, when they comprised a third of the population. The Pennsylvania Germans were called '''"Pennsylvania Dutch"''' by English speakers who mistranslated "Deutsch" ("German") as "Dutch". They were comprised of Lutherans, Reformed, Moravians, Mennonites, Amish, and other religious sects, and they developed a rich religious life with a strong musical culture. There were few German Catholics or Jews in America before the 1830s. | The first German settlement in Pennsylvania was founded in 1683. The tide of German immigration to Pennsylvania swelled between 1725 and 1775, when they comprised a third of the population. The Pennsylvania Germans were called '''"Pennsylvania Dutch"''' by English speakers who mistranslated "Deutsch" ("German") as "Dutch". They were comprised of Lutherans, Reformed, Moravians, Mennonites, Amish, and other religious sects, and they developed a rich religious life with a strong musical culture. There were few German Catholics or Jews in America before the 1830s. |