Woodard: The Real U.S. Map, a Country of Regions

[xchrom]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-29/real-u-s-map-a-country-of-regions-part-1-commentary-by-colin-woodard.html

In 2008, with the U.S. divided between red states and blue states, then-candidate Barack Obama called for unity over division, a common shout-out among politicians and others determined to preserve America’s under- siege, allegedly shared values. Yet such calls ignore the fact that there are no shared “American values.” We’ve always been divided. And not truly along state lines.

America’s most essential and abiding divisions stem from the fact that the U.S. is a federation composed of the whole or parts of 11 disparate regional cultures -- each exhibiting conflicting agendas and the characteristics of nationhood -- and which respect neither state nor international boundaries, bleeding over the borders of Canada and Mexico as readily as they divide California, Texas, Illinois or Pennsylvania. The differences between them shaped the scope and nature of the American Revolution, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution and, most tragically, the Civil War. Since 1960, the fault lines between these nations have been growing wider, fueling culture wars, constitutional struggles and those ever- present pleas for unity.

These “nations” have been with us all along.
Cultural Clusters

The settlers of each of the original colonial clusters came from various regions of the British islands, or from France, the Netherlands or Spain, and had distinct religious, political and ethnographic characteristics. These cultures developed in remarkable isolation from one another, cultivating distinct and often contradictory values, practices, dialects and ideals. Some championed individualism, others utopian reform. Some were guided by divine purpose, others by conscience and inquiry. Some embraced an Anglo-Saxon Protestant identity, others ethnic and religious pluralism. Some valued equality and democratic participation, others deferred to aristocratic order. All continue to champion some version of their original ideals in the present day, frustrating attempts to build a national consensus.

[annabanana]

1. This is fascinating. I find myself in fundamental agreement so far..

but I am looking forward to discussion, agreement &/or disagreement..

[Moostache]

2. Makes perfect sense to me...

I was born and raised in "Yankeedom" (outside of Chicago) and later in life moved to St. Louis. St. Louis is a great city, but the areas outside the metro-area (and indeed MUCH of the metro-area itself) are profoundly distrustful of anyone not born here. I've lived here for 18 years and STILL get treated like an outsider.

It also explains why my personal politics and leanings are so out of step with the rest of Missouri (or as I prefer - East Kansas).

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. It is called "clannish" and has a lot to do with Irish/Scots settlers in the South.

Strong value on family and those you know, distrust of outsiders. Seems to be stronger than religious background and adds an intense flavor to football season!

I have been "down South" for over 25 years but have still to be forgiven for not having the sense to be born here.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. May have been true once but it has certaininly declined since the 60s with mobility

[Warpy]

4. He's certainly right about the east coast, Appalachians, and midlands

I've lived all over those areas and know the differences in character well, although the upper Midlands were heavily settled by Germans, both Catholic fleeing the Lutherans and Lutherans fleeing the aristocracy.

It all breaks down a bit when you get to the southwest. Nobody knows what to do about NM. Settled (well, resettled) by Mexico, as were California, Texas, and Arizona, the state has retained its original Hispanic, Catholic culture much more than the other states, probably because the poor growing conditions discouraged many Anglo immigrants from settling down. The ones who did were largely Yankee types who brought their thriftiness and other values with them. The indigenous people never left, although their lands were much depleted. It's an intensely weird state when compared to its neighbors, probably the least and most American at the same time.

Other than that, you've got the Mormon region, the granola region, the plastic region, and another stubborn mountain region.

[Leontius]

5. This sounds like a book written in the late seventies early

eighties called 'The Nine Nations Of America', not sure that's the exact title or if this is the same author, but with what seems more emphasis on what was than what is the current state of the country.

[Tesha]

12. "The Nine Nations of North America" -- A great book! (NT)

[Diclotican]

6. xchrom

xchrom

The United States of America, is a verry wierd place.. And not easy to understand from abroad.. Sometimes "you" act as grown ups, other times "you" act like the opposite of grown ups..

And many americans, still belive they are better than the rest of the world, and therefore can do as they please, even when they do horrible wrong things..

Diclotican

[xchrom]

9. I think we appear that way to ourselves.

& I think it is in some part due to immigrant waves & where people settled.

We're not an all German country or an all English country, etc.

It's made for an interesting development.

[Diclotican]

14. xchrom

xchrom

Thats is absolutely true.. US is a emigration nation, where different pepole, different nations, was emigrating, to make themselfs a new life.. In most of Europe, the nations of today, is the result off more than 2000 year of experience and messing around with different tribes, small ones and big ones.. And even today, this "tribe mentality" is there when it came to how you treat your nabour. Specially in country like Frence and Germany, two country who traditonally have been in eatch others troath now and then.. And until few decades ago, this "Tribe" attitude was pretty clear, in most of europe. But after the last 30 year or so with emigration from all over the world, the mentality is maybe little less clear than it was.. But it is still there little under the blanket..

US is a nation, who are still verry mutch in development to find out what you really want to be.. At one way, you want to be a force of good, but on the other hand, US many times act in ways, that is less than stellar, in fact the opposite of good.. And when the shit hit the fan, and you experience the downside of policy going decades back in history, most americans play suprised that anyone could posible try to do you any harm.. Im not a "smart" man, have just my ability to read, and my ability to find the big lines in how things work, but when US for the most part have been playing rulet with the world for more than 60 year. And had the ambition that you want to rule the world and mold it as you see fit.. And then when things goes south, play hurt by things is little suprising for me.. Se the Family of Bush, who have been playing rulet with many parts of the world, from A to Z and who might have been behind their fair share of criminal actions, all over the planet.. But even then, they managed to play hurt and suprised when WTC was hit, in 2001.. And the then president GWB, was not even able to say tha the had to make a visit short, but continued to read a book about a goat!! That is maybe one of the most important points in history in the past cold war, and he was continiing reading a childrens book, as it was important literature..

US as I say, is a country in development, I have no clue where it all wil end but I guess it vil be interesting to se how it all end.. Some here is on the oppinion it can end in 6 seperate nations. Others means it can end in many small country, fithing eatch others over the ruins of US.. And some others, belive that US can wake up, smell the shit, and do the right thing, and stay clear of a ship wreck the history have never seen before..

Diclotican

[DonCoquixote]

15. To be fair

Isn't every modern nation a collection of regions? I mean, even within Canada, different places can feel like different countries (especially Quebec vs. the West.) Most of the Europeans I know tend to think of themselves far more in terms of region: a Londoner sees the North of England as odd, A Basque sees Madrid as odd, Romans feel odd in Naples, etc. I am sure it is the same in Scandinavia. Europe has not gelled as much with Immigration, as many English (who vacation a lot here in Florida) openly speak of people from the "PIIGS" as Subhuman.

My point is that since every large nation is a bunch of smaller nations that were brought together, the idea that the US has zones should not be that odd.

[Diclotican]

16. DonCoquixote

DonCoquixote

Off course, every modern nation, is a collection of regions, who on one point or another desided it was better to be togheter than to stand alone.. Even in small country's like my own Norway, it is build up of regions, who sometimes act wierd for someone who are from the outside.. But where the different parts is working well togheter, even tho dialects, and language is different from part to part.. In Norway we have no less than 3 written languages, who are reqonized by the government. Bokmål Nynorsk and Sami.. Even tho the two first languages have most things in common, and can be undestood by all, it is still two different langauges. In a population of just 4.7 million pepole!. I guess one of the reasons we have not split up, is becouse we are to lazy to make all the mess nessesary to split up the country..

But even tho Norway have different regions, from the region Im from, to the northen parts, who differ somewhat from where I am we look at ourselfs as norwigian first and foremost.. And I guess we also have a lot of culture and traditions who are same, where we might live..

Thats sad to hear, that they is openly about how "bad" some of the southern european people.. Have known a few from that area of Europe, and I would say they are nothing like subhuman.. But it is maybe just me.. Im try to be openminded when traveling in other country's... But then, many english is looking at themselfs, as better as the rest of Europe.. Even their nabours Irish and the schots are lesser humans, than themselfs I guess...

Of course it is not that different, that US is a country of different zones.. Both natural and population speaking US is maybe more diverse than any other nations outside of PRC and the Russian Federation. And it is also a country who have had a lot of impulse from the rest of the world, as many have emigrated there - and still emigrate by the ten of thousands. illegal or legal..

US is a wonderfull nation in many cases.. A country I would love to visit more, (have been there once) and discover more about.. But US is also a country that I can't get to understand fully, as you sometimes act far different from what we should accept for a country like your own.. Its just wierd to TRY to grasp the reality sometimes..

Diclotican

[Citizen Worker]

7. A close friend predicted several months ago that the US may fragment into six separate nation states

Another bank bailout could make that possible.

[bengalherder]

10. I was born Yankeedom

And found the Left Coast to be quite salubrious to my ideals.


If there ever is a split I stand by Left Coast aka Cascadia aka State of Jefferson simply because the culture here is more accepting and open on a widespread basis than any other in the states. We are pretty much all immigrants out here, often cultural throw-aways from more staid regions.

I would hate to see the US dissolve, however, I am not in favor of having to continue to have my life tainted by the actions of 'Dixiecrats' trying to shove their hatreds and predjudices onto us from 2000 miles away.

[BobbyBoring]

11. On top of all that

Each state has it laws based on either British, Spanish, or Dutch law.

I've said for years that the US is too diverse to be one country.

[enuegii]

13. Or, in the case of Louisiana, the Napoleonic Code.