Transatlantic migrations

Transatlantic migration refers to the movement of people across the Atlantic Ocean in order to settle on the continents of North and South America. It usually refers to migrations after Christopher Columbus' voyage to the Americas in 1492. For earlier American migration, see the article on: Models of migration to the New World

16th to 18th century
The European colonization of the Americas

The Great Migration (Puritan) of English to North America, from 1650 onward.

The forced migration of Africans: See Slave trade and Atlantic slave trade

The Spanish colonization of the Americas

19th century onward
As a result of the improvements in transportation after the Industrial Revolution, long-distance migrations increased in the 19th century. Between 1846 and 1940 some 55 millions of migrants moved from Europe to America. 65% went to the United States. Other major receiving countries were Argentina, Canada, Brazil and Cuba. Also 2,5 million Asians migrated to America, most as indentured servant to the plantations of the Caribbean, but some also, notably Japanese, arrived in Brazil and the USA. (source: Adam McKeown, 'Global migrations, 1846-1940' in : Journal of World History (june 2004))

literature:
Nugent, Walter, 1992, Crossings: The Great Transatlantic Migrations, 1870-1914, (Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press).

Adam McKeown, 'Global migrations, 1846-1940' in : Journal of World History (june 2004))

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