question for those living in the midwest

[AlanCranston]

does it seem that there is sort of an invisible line (the 41st parallel) that sort of cuts the midwest in half.

The area north of the line seems to be sort of the birthplace of old school progressivism. Walt Mondale, Hubert Humphrey, Paul Wellstone, (Eugene) McCarthy, George Norris, Charles LaFollette, Bob Kerrey, George McGovern, Tom Harkin, John and Chet Culver, Dick Clark, Harold Hughes, Adlai Stevenson, Barack Obama, Philip Hart, Gaylord Nelson, Russ Feingold et al. Even the Republicans were/are of the moderate Harold Stassen mold. It seems that the general consensus in that area is that we as a society should do what we can to contribute to the common good. The labor industry is big in this part of the midwest like the Iron Range, Eastern Iowa, Milwaukee, Chicago, Gary/South Bend, Flint, Detroit, Toledo etc. The dominant religion in this part is more mainline protestant (Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian). There is also a lot of ethnic catholics, especially in Chicago as well as a large African American population in Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland.

The area south of the line (I consider Kentucky, and Oklahoma to be part of the lower midwest since they never joined the confederacy) is much more conservative. Although the democrats were competitive in parts of this area, they were more of the dixiecrat variety. There haven't really been many liberal senators from here except for maybe Birch Bayh (from Terre Haute) or Durbin and Simon (from downstate Illinois). It seems to be less urban and more agricultural and while they like their pork barrel projects, they tend not to like government programs that help people other than themselves. The labor industry, with a few exceptions in a few smaller cities like Dayton, Evansville, or Terre Haute, is not very prevalent here. People tend to be more in favor of right to work laws. The cities that do exist in this area like Columbus or Indianapolis are more white collar. The dominant religion seems to be more of the holy roller variety and it tends to have more in common with the south. This part of the country mostly avoided the great wave of immigration in the late 19th century and early 20th century and the people here tended to support prohibition as they felt it put the immigrants in their place. There were also less african americans who moved here.

So for those living there, would my assessment be correct?

[Hardrada]

1. The Scandinavians and German immigrants did quite often

work for a more progressive society and were egalitarian to a great degree. They also had their own cultures which were of a higher educational sort until these "alien" cultures were destroyed by WWI.

[murielm99]

2. That sounds about right.

The less urban areas and the wealthy suburbs have the conservatives. The lower Midwest is more conservative.

But the rural aspect does not hold true everywhere in the north. Iowa has many progressives. They are rural and largely white. They elect Democrats. Minnesota has the DFL and has many progressives, too.

I truly don't understand the southern part of the Midwest. I am not sure I want to claim them as true Midwesterners.

[Odin2005]

3. The Upper Midwest has what is called "Minnesota Nice".

We care about each other up here.

The Lower Midwest doesn't, they're all about "up by yer boostraps" crapola.

[MadHound]

4. No, you are broadbrushing a vast swath of territory, a vast span of time,

And a wide range of cultures.

For instance, the Germans that settled large parts of Missouri(which I'm assuming that you are placing, in part or in total in the lower midwest) were, and remained quite progressive up until recently.

Some of the great progressive/populist movements came out of the lower Midwest, including groups that were essentially socialist in nature, such as the Farmers' Alliance.

Furthermore, states like Missouri were generally opposed to policies like Prohibition.

I suggest that you don't broad brush so much.

[Sherman A1]

7. Precisely

Agreed & Well Said. It was German Immigrants that made up a good portion of Nathaniel Lyons' Union forces at the Camp Jackson Affair in the very early days of the Civil War and Missouri was the place with the 3rd highest number of engagements in that war.

[JVS]

5. You're talking about the area that was the heartland of the early Republican party, which was...

a new progressive movement.

[bbgrunt]

6. I think besides ethnic heritage, production and resources also had an effect.

For example, WI was known for milk, cheese, and logging. The production of milk required daily markets and hence good roads and communication, thus the necessity for community. In IN and other lower midwestern states, a yearly crop of corn or soybeans only needed a market at the end of the season. Thus many back roads in IN were gravel for many years while most all WI roads were paved.

The progressiveness of the WI heritage is also noted in their more intense interest in cooperatives--they even require prospective social study teachers to take a least a one-credit course in cooperatives.

While this may be a marginal and diminishing aspect of the differences, it seems to have a lingering, if fading, effect.