America’s Near-Miss German Language Vote

Did you know America almost chose a different national language? In the late 1700s, German immigrants

were one of the largest groups in the United States. So large that Congress actually debated

whether government documents should be printed in German instead of English. The decision came

down to a single vote in the House of Representatives. English won by just one vote.

If that vote had gone the other way, the U.S. government might have operated in

German. One vote quietly shaped American history. Follow for more

history facts.