tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376485905771945684.post1957391775094989301..comments2024-03-04T17:59:07.208-06:00Comments on Liberty or Death: The Basilica of St. Francis XavierBethany Carsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06583914285773271009noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376485905771945684.post-77901614140691335032014-09-22T07:11:35.553-05:002014-09-22T07:11:35.553-05:00Thank you for the very interesting piece of histor...Thank you for the very interesting piece of history! The late 1800s is an era in which my historical knowledge is rather limited, so it is good to learn more from a well-informed source.<br /><br />I think you are correct that the builders probably wanted to build something like what they had in their home country. Even some of the towns in that area of Iowa are named after places in Europe. It's a very interesting area in the state to visit; almost every town has a very impressive Catholic church. Bethany Carsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06583914285773271009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376485905771945684.post-54255302450461168302014-09-21T23:08:31.241-05:002014-09-21T23:08:31.241-05:00It may be important to consider the history of the...It may be important to consider the history of the building and world events around the time of its construction. <br /><br />It was built primarily by and for poor German immigrants, who were able to buy the land after the english settlers were financially devastated in the Panic of 1857. The mass migrations from German areas in Europe -Germany as a nation being nonexistent until 1871- to the United States started in the 1830s, but peaked in the 1850s and 1880s, with almost 2.5 million immigrants. Many of which were attempting to escape economic and political turmoil at home, to say nothing of the hazardous journey. In the German states, the shift from a farm-based economy to a mass production economy meant the loss of family farms and high unemployment in the cities, and no small amount of misery and despair. After arriving in the United States, and typically speaking only German, they faced discrimination. (Along with the Chinese, distrust of Catholics was a major factor in the Immigration Act of 1882, which restricted undesirable people from entering the country.)<br /><br />If it looks like a church from Europe, it is likely because the people who built it had just arrived from there, having recently been uprooted by modernization and new trends, and were trying to keep their cultural traditions alive, amongst not particularly friendly neighbors.<br /><br />I suspect that the wealthy, successful, and well established descendants of those poor farmers may be reasonably held to a different standard, but stepping out of my own shoes, I could see why they would build something familiar.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376485905771945684.post-22322366791270043192014-06-25T07:15:15.682-05:002014-06-25T07:15:15.682-05:00Thanks Gabriela! Neat that you've been to Haw...Thanks Gabriela! Neat that you've been to Hawaii! If you have photos it would be interesting to see someday if you're inclined to post about it :)Bethany Carsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06583914285773271009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376485905771945684.post-47158403521308450232014-06-24T19:33:57.760-05:002014-06-24T19:33:57.760-05:00I love your thoughts at the end of the post! I, be...I love your thoughts at the end of the post! I, being Catholic and all, struggle with this fact a lot. When I went to Hawaii, Catholic churches were SO different. Their beauty and simplicity attracted me so much! Anywho. <br /><br />I love learning about the history and architecture of old churches! I love your photographs, too. ;-)Gabrielahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13859775288211259185noreply@blogger.com