First Polish Settlers

The First Polish Settlers

Polish People in America

1. On October 1, 1608, the first Polish settlers arrived at Jamestown, Virginia, on the ship Mary and Margaret. Well-aware of the quality of imported glassware from Poland, the Virginia Company of London had hired Polish artisans to establish a profitable glass production house in America. To insure the success of the new Virginia colony, additional workers from Poland and other countries were enlisted to produce soap, pitch, and wood building supplies. After their arrival, the Polish settlers built a glass furnace which became the first factory in America and produced the first made-in-America products exported to Europe.

Captain John Smith, the President of the Jamestown colony, deeply respected the Poles not only for their excellent craftsmanship but also for their bravery and regarded them as indispensable for the survival of the new colony.

2. On June 30, 1619, the Polish settlers staged the first strike in America to demand full civil rights and inclusion in the political process. After being denied participation in the first Virginia assembly, they conducted this first labor walkout, not for higher wages or better working conditions, but for democratic rights. The newly-formed House of Burgesses quickly acknowledged the vital role played by the Poles in the settlement’s well-being and granted them the same voting privileges as those enjoyed by the English.

3. Polish people continued to arrive in America during colonial times. Well-remembered heroes from the Revolutionary War era include General Casimir Pulaski, the father of America’s cavalry, and General Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a military engineer, often noted for his strategic fortification of Saratoga and West Point, N.Y.

4. In the late 1800’s, people immigrated from Poland in large numbers to participate in the Industrial Revolution. After arriving on the East Coast, many moved across America, seeking employment and the American dream.