Many Welsh immigrants headed to America for the chance of a better life and steady work - most notably to Pennsylvania, where many found work in industries familiar to them such as slate.
I cam across this BBC iWonder page about the Welsh in America - including a very interesting theory about a Welsh prince - Madog ab Owain Gwynedd - finding America in 1170, and also a comparison of Welsh words with a very similar Native American language called Mandan.
I'm afraid I don't agree with the theory over the origin of the name America - I'm pretty convinced that that honour goes to the explorer and all-around-rogue Amerigo Vespucci.
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