Quote Originally Posted by HoreTore View Post
There were several migration waves to the US, all with different reasons for doing so.

If you want broad categorizations, I guess you could say that the first waves were based on oppression, while the later ones(post 1800's) were economically based.

A lot the famous ones from England/Dutchies/France were due to religious oppression. At the other extreme, all of the ones who left scandinavia did so for economic(or adventerous, I guess) reasons. Weirdly enough, all of the groups we've oppressed over the years have stayed put... Not even the Finns left!
There has never been religious oppression in the Netherlands...