An exploration of German migration and settlement in America in the 18th century, this volume seeks to expand current knowledge of mobility in the Atlantic and ethnic diversity in colonial America. The author explains why many Germans, when they faced critical choices in 1776, supported the patriot cause. Employing a variety of German-language sources, and following all the major German migration streams, this text explores German conceptions of personal and public property in the context of cultural and religious beliefs, village life, and family concerns.