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Y Wladfa: The Welsh Part of Argentina

Early Welsh settlers in Patagonia, clad in national dress. In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution was in full swing across Great Britain.  Mills and factories dotted the landscape of England, and were soon appearing in southern Wales.  Southern Wales was a prime candidate for industrialization, due to an abundance of coal, which was vital to powering factories, as well as decent iron deposits and plenty of wool. Wales also had an English-speaking population, having been part of Great Britain since 1282 (except for a brief seven-year separation during the 16th century), so the English language and culture had had plenty of time to dominate the country. In the cities, English was more prominent than in the countryside, where the Welsh language was still widely spoken.  However, industrialization drew workers (and political power) from the countryside, diminishing the Welsh culture and language.  By the middle of the 19th century, there was a sen...