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Have done much reading, still trying to figure why great-grandparents would have left Germany in 1884-1886?

Went through Luxembourg, then to Antwerp, to Philadelphia. Land ownership,freedom and women's vote could have been attractions to America.

But with German economy developing, and no war then, what could have made them want to leave?

PolyGeo
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Ruby
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    Welcome to FH&G SE! Which of the many possible reasons applied to your ancestors depends on factors like circumstances in their home region, religious affiliation, family inheritance, occupations, etc. If you know any of these, we may be able direct you to additional resources. – bgwiehle Jul 02 '19 at 00:47
  • https://genealogy.stackexchange.com/q/2784/6485 might be relevant although without more information from you I can't know. –  Jul 02 '19 at 15:15
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    You don't give us any information about your great-grandparents' life in the USA or in Germany, so we have no context we can use to answer the question. I am leaning toward this being too broad to answer in its current form. – Jan Murphy Jul 02 '19 at 17:25
  • The question could also be improved by telling us more about what you've already read, so we won't suggest a reading list of things you've already seen. – Jan Murphy Jul 02 '19 at 23:45
  • I"ve read (mostly internet reseach) that Germany's economy was booming then, with industrialization gaining momentum. I thought, but cannot find it to know for sure, that perhaps ideology was beginning to form in preparation for the 1st WW. I – Ruby Jul 03 '19 at 19:14
  • I also thought I had read, but if it was web research I can't find it again, that there were social tensions after the results of the schleswig holstein wars(1850's). – Ruby Jul 03 '19 at 19:15
  • Jan, thank you for your interest. I know little to nothing. My great grandfather was a carpenter. Don't know where born or his parents. I'm considering the idea that working in a factory was like going to prison for a creative type. maybe far fetched. I know America had its strong lure, but want to have something makes him leave(Im writing a book) – Ruby Jul 03 '19 at 19:18
  • @Ruby No answer is possible without a written record. I consider it unlikely that major aspects of world history would play a role (women's suffrage, geopolitical tensions, etc.). Individual causes (low income in crafts or agriculture, urbanisation, ...) are more likely. You could research the local conditions at the place of residence as a start. Some regions that are considered to be economically weak in Germany today were already like that over 100 years ago. – lejonet Jul 10 '19 at 10:50

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