Marcus Lee Hansen
Encyclopedia
Marcus Lee Hansen was a Pulitzer Prize
-winning American historian
. He won the Pulitzer Prize for History
for The Atlantic Migration, 1607–1860.
, the son of Scandinavian immigrants. He received a BA
from Central College, an MA
from the University of Iowa
, and a PhD
from Harvard University
. He was Associate Professor of History (1928–30) and Professor of History (1930–38) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
.
Dr. Hansen was a member of the Board of Editors of the Norwegian-American Historical Association
.Hansen conducted research on the history of immigration to the United States
. After winning a two-year grant, he studied migration records in Europe
for several years.
He died on May 11, 1938 at the age of 45 in Redlands, California
of chronic nephritis.
Hansen provided little evidence for his law, making historians and sociologists skeptical of it. Will Herberg
helped to popularize this law.
Although he specialized in American immigration history, Hansen wrote on many subjects, including Old Fort Snelling, 1819–1858 (1918), Welfare Campaigns in Iowa (1920), Welfare Work in Iowa (1921), The Immigrant in American History (posthumous, 1940), The Mingling of the Canadian and American Peoples (posthumous, 1940), and The Atlantic Migration, 1607–1860: A History of the Continuing Settlement of the United States (posthumous, 1940).
for The Atlantic Migration, 1607–1860: A History of the Continuing Settlement of the United States, which was published after his death. Historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr.
turned the rough draft developed by Hansen into a polished manuscript, and the book was published by the Harvard University Press
in 1940.
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning American historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
. He won the Pulitzer Prize for History
Pulitzer Prize for History
The Pulitzer Prize for History has been awarded since 1917 for a distinguished book upon the history of the United States. Many history books have also been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction and Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography...
for The Atlantic Migration, 1607–1860.
Biography
Hansen was born at Neenah, WisconsinNeenah, Wisconsin
Neenah is a city on Lake Winnebago in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 24,507 at the 2000 census. The city is bordered by, but is politically independent of, the Town of Neenah. Neenah is the southwestern-most of the Fox Cities of Northeast Wisconsin...
, the son of Scandinavian immigrants. He received a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Central College, an MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, and a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He was Associate Professor of History (1928–30) and Professor of History (1930–38) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
.
Dr. Hansen was a member of the Board of Editors of the Norwegian-American Historical Association
Norwegian-American Historical Association
Norwegian-American Historical Association publishes scholarly books, documenting research and interpretations of the American experience of immigrant Norwegians....
.Hansen conducted research on the history of immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
. After winning a two-year grant, he studied migration records in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for several years.
He died on May 11, 1938 at the age of 45 in Redlands, California
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
of chronic nephritis.
Work and publications
Hansen was an important historian of American immigration. In a 1938 essay, "The Problem of the Third Generation Immigrant", he first presented "Hansen's Law": "What the son wishes to forget the grandson wishes to remember". This law predicts that ethnicity is preserved among immigrants, weakens among their children, and returns with the grandchildren. Children of immigrants tend to reject the foreign ways of their parents, including their religion, and want to join the American mainstream, but the next generation wants to retain the values of their ancestors. The religion of the first generation immigrant, which the second generation rejects, may be reaffirmed by the third generation.Hansen provided little evidence for his law, making historians and sociologists skeptical of it. Will Herberg
Will Herberg
Will Herberg was an American Jewish writer, intellectual and scholar. He was known as a social philosopher and sociologist of religion, as well as a Jewish theologian.-Early life:...
helped to popularize this law.
Although he specialized in American immigration history, Hansen wrote on many subjects, including Old Fort Snelling, 1819–1858 (1918), Welfare Campaigns in Iowa (1920), Welfare Work in Iowa (1921), The Immigrant in American History (posthumous, 1940), The Mingling of the Canadian and American Peoples (posthumous, 1940), and The Atlantic Migration, 1607–1860: A History of the Continuing Settlement of the United States (posthumous, 1940).
Pulitzer Prize
Hansen was posthumously awarded the 1941 Pulitzer Prize for HistoryPulitzer Prize for History
The Pulitzer Prize for History has been awarded since 1917 for a distinguished book upon the history of the United States. Many history books have also been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction and Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography...
for The Atlantic Migration, 1607–1860: A History of the Continuing Settlement of the United States, which was published after his death. Historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr.
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr.
Arthur Meier Schlesinger, Sr. was an American historian. His son, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. was also a noted historian.-Life and career:...
turned the rough draft developed by Hansen into a polished manuscript, and the book was published by the Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Its current director is William P...
in 1940.