[1][full citation needed] Norsemen had explored the eastern coast of North America as early as the 11th century, though they created no lasting settlements.

Many prevailing traditions observed by Nordic and Scandinavian Americans are from this era, and are reflective of the lifestyle of rural immigrant communities during the late 19th century.

The Nordic countries are a geographic region which consists of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Finland, and Åland.

By contrast, the term Scandinavia more selectively refers to just Denmark, Norway and Sweden, although other Nordic countries are sometimes included within this definition.

By the 11th century, Norsemen had established a presence in Iceland and Greenland, in close proximity to continental North America.

Despite its short history, the Nordic settlers are credited with having a lasting impact on colonial practice in the region.

Swedish colonists likely introduced the construction of log cabins to North America, although some historians argue they were of later German or Swiss origin.

This increase was likely caused by improved medical and agricultural practices, and the unusually peaceful era in the region which followed the Napoleonic Wars.

With more children to support, farms were successively split into smaller plots to be divided among descendants, and families were increasingly unable to sustain themselves from their own land.

Although immigration to the United States decreased during the American Civil War, a significant wave again left during the 1880s.

Following World War II, there was an increase in interest in ethnic origins in the United States, which saw more Scandinavian Americans refer to themselves as Norwegian-American, Danish-American, etc.

Although use of North Germanic languages has largely died out among descendants of the 19th century, Scandinavian identity has been maintained, especially in rural communities.

[17] Many immigrated to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Iron Range of northern Minnesota to work in the mining industry; much of the population in these regions remains of Finnish descent.

[19][23] A small Sámi community on the Kitsap Peninsula near Seattle continues to preserve Sámi-American culture.