What states do you personally consider "yankee"? (America, Boston, Chicago)

[destinedtodave]

Only the Northeast. not the midwest or anything west of it. And it's not necessarily derogatory either.

[Jammie]

Interesting thread. I agree with Vasinger as to the definition. I've often read it applies to anyone north of the Mason/Dixon line.

I've never been offended by the word since I don't normally hear it used in a deragatory term. Not sure if I technically fit the category since my area wasn't even in statehood during the Civil War. AND of course I wasn't on earth yet then so I don't normally give it a lot of thought. To me, the term along with other hard feelings should have died a LONG time ago.

And sticking with your request, I have my state listed on my posts and I've spent my entire life here.

[MikeyCNY]

to answer your questions, I live in Northern Virginia outside DC and this place is defintely not Southern in any way, despite this being Virginia. I'm originally from Brookyln, NY (Bay Ridge, which is very Italian/Irish) and I always thought yankees were WASPs but I guess the term applies to anyone born and raised north of the Mason-Dixon Line

personally, though, I consider Maryland to be yankee territory

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by GottaHerdOn

How is West Virginia not a Yankee state. We left the state of Virginia when they succeeded from the union. So in my opinion WV is a Yankee state. We wanted to be a part of the union not of the confederacy. We didn't have the similar economic interests that the confederate states had, i.e. bettering their tobacco, cotton, peach farms. True that West Virginia was said to have brother fighting against brother during the civil war. But generally it seems that southern WV if anything seemed to be confederate or rebel than the rest of the state. Northern WV was all Yankee. This is all IMO though

FIRST of all y'all (hey, I made a rhyme! LOL), THANKS for the replies and keep 'em comin'! (and post your home state/residence).

As to the question of West Virginia, I would say the reason it is NOT really truly "yankee" is that folks from there tend to speak a bit Southern and all. To be more country and laid back. I may be wrong, but it just strikes me that way. VERY true they didn't join the Confederacy and, in fact, came into being out of refusal NOT to join it. YET? Really, I don't think West Virginians really fit the image of "yankee." Not quite, anyway!

[vasinger]

Originally Posted by MikeyCNY

to answer your questions, I live in Northern Virginia outside DC and this place is defintely not Southern in any way, despite this being Virginia. I'm originally from Brookyln, NY (Bay Ridge, which is very Italian/Irish) and I always thought yankees were WASPs but I guess the term applies to anyone born and raised north of the Mason-Dixon Line

personally, though, I consider Maryland to be yankee territory

Northern Virginia still has some pockets of Southern left. It depends on where you are in NOVA. Its a very transient area so there aren't many natives left in the region.

Same can be said for Charlotte and Atlanta.

[tallylady46]

Originally Posted by GottaHerdOn

How is West Virginia not a Yankee state. We left the state of Virginia when they succeeded from the union. So in my opinion WV is a Yankee state. We wanted to be a part of the union not of the confederacy. We didn't have the similar economic interests that the confederate states had, i.e. bettering their tobacco, cotton, peach farms. True that West Virginia was said to have brother fighting against brother during the civil war. But generally it seems that southern WV if anything seemed to be confederate or rebel than the rest of the state. Northern WV was all Yankee. This is all IMO though

Good point.

My daughter attends WVU in Morgantown and after visiting her, my conclusion is that although WV is clearly Appalachian, it doesn't mean it's southern. I consider western PA Appalchian too.

I always thought New Englanders were the Yankees though.

[vasinger]

Originally Posted by decafdave

Only the Northeast. not the midwest or anything west of it. And it's not necessarily derogatory either.

Um, I have disagree there. People from Chiacago, Cleveland, Detroit, are all yankees IMO. Of course there's nothing wrong with it

Its just really they are part of the northern culture. Most all of the midwest is part of the Northern culture. The very southern tips of midwestern states- esp Indiana and Illinois may have some southern-midwestern flavor, but for the most part the Mason Dixon Line runs though all those areas.

[jeremeyk482]

Originally Posted by mead

I'd consider some parts of Maryland and Delaware to be Southern even though they were part of the union. I have a friend who grew up in a rural area of Maryland and he has a definitive southern drawl.

I usually think of anything to the northeast of Pennsylvania as being a "yankee" state, however I guess those states in the midwest like Ohio, Indiana, Illinois should be included as well.

I agree with this. To anyone NYC and North, MD, DE and VA are definitely considered "southern states." Folks in those states, however, consider themselves more northern.

Originally Posted by GottaHerdOn

How is West Virginia not a Yankee state.

WV, a YANKEE state? No way. More Midwest or southern.

[vasinger]

With the exception of possibly Northern Virginia, folks in Virginia do not consider themselves anything but Southerners.

[skatealoneskatetogether]

I don't see how you could call California a yankee state. Granted there were the california volunteers in the civil war; but californians generally have just as much if not more apathy towards the towards the north east as southerners do...generally speaking...