The subject of THE PIRSUIT OF HAPPINESS and this website is Danish migration to America, a particular period in Danish history where more than 350,000 Danes chose to pursue happiness on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. They journeyed out to begin a new life. Some dreamt of a new start, with freedom, fortune, and happiness. Others fled unfortunate circumstances or a criminal past, or hoped for a religious freedom they could not find in Denmark.
In 1849, King Frederik VII abolished absolutism and signed the first Danish Constitution, aimed at addressing inequality and poverty. It was the first step towards the modern Danish democracy we know today, but only 15% of the population benefited directly from the constitution and people in poverty were still not allowed to own land. If you were impoverished and unable to own land, you were also not able to vote. The Constitution was full of noble principles, but in reality many Danes did not benefit from it and they eventually ended up emigrating.