The Saber and Scroll Journal Volume 7, Issue 1, Winter 2018 | Page 7

New Sweden: Sweden’s Failure to Colonize
Susan Danielsson
Before the seventeenth century, Sweden was not an integral part of
Europe, much less a great power, but the ascension of Gustav II Adolphus to the
throne changed this. Gustav was an intelligent man who established the Swedish
Empire through domestic reforms that modernized the country’s economy and its
military. After the establishment of the Swedish Empire, the new power had to seek
new economic opportunities to pay for its professional military and domestic
reforms. Sweden’s inexperience with the mercantile system made it a potential
investment opportunity. Dutch investors persuaded the fledgling empire to invest in
a joint colonization effort with Dutch and Swedish stockholders under the new
Swedish South Company. New Sweden, established in present-day Wilmington,
Delaware, along the lower Delaware River, was the first colony. The organizers of
the colony intended it to be self-sufficient and for it to send raw materials such as
beaver pelts and tobacco back to Sweden. Sweden’s inexperience with the
mercantile system and underdeveloped transport system made it incapable of
handling colonial demands. Without proper support and supplies, the administration
of the colony had to focus on survival, causing it to ultimately fail. New Sweden’s
Swedish and Finnish settlers remained in North America under Dutch, then English,
control and contributed new building and carpentry techniques that spread
throughout the continent. Liberal policies ensured future generations of Americans
could trace their heritage to the New Sweden colony. Much like the Swedish
Empire, the New Sweden colony did not last long, but its Swedish and Finnish
settlers made lasting contributions to America’s frontier.
Political and Economic Security in Sweden
The dominant power of the Baltic region controlled trade and warships
working in the area, ensuring economic and border security. In 1523, Sweden
became an independent kingdom from Denmark, and its foundation created a new
competitor for the Baltic region. Compared to Denmark, Poland, and Russia,
Sweden was poor, underpopulated, and lacked a bureaucratic structure. 1 Sweden
had powerful enemies, and its primitive state made its political and economic
security uncertain. Without security on the home front, Sweden could not attempt
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