Sweden established New Sweden in parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the early 17th century, but the venture lasted less than 17 years due to battles with the Dutch. Swedish settlers introduced Lutheran Christianity and the log cabin to the New World.
In the early 17th century, many European countries were struggling to take root in North America, including France, Spain, England and Holland. In the midst of this colonization frenzy, Sweden decided to claim a piece of the New World for itself. New Sweden was the last of the European colonial empires to establish itself in North America, in parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but Swedish settlers were hard to find and the venture lasted less than 17 years.
Thanks for the cabins:
Swedish ships set sail in late 1637 with about 25 settlers. By March 1638, the ships had sailed up the Delaware River and dropped anchor near present-day Wilmington, Del.
There were battles with the Dutch almost from the start, culminating in a 1655 Battle of the Delaware during the Second Northern War that wiped out New Sweden as a settlement.
The settlers of New Sweden made several contributions to early American history, including the introduction of Lutheran Christianity to the New World and the iconic log cabin.
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