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This is a question I am really interested in seeing how people in different parts of the country view it. That is: What states -- if any -- do you personally consider to be "yankee." And too, if applicable, who exactly ARE "yankees."
A little preface first.
As a native Texan and Southerner, it is a common term down here. I hasten to add it may or may NOT be used in a derogatory manner. Often times, it has no more insulting connotation than calling someone "Red" or 'Blondie" would be because of their hair color. Sometimes it can even be used in a friendly, jocular way (for instance, I have a good friend from Kansas to whom I will sometimes say things like "you damn yankee, you don't know what the hell you are talking about." LOL).
This is something I am really wondering about. My own experience is that Southerners tend to define yankee as being those not from the South, while most of the rest of the country views it as those from the northeast. Those in the northeast may or may not apply the label to themselves.
Since I started it, here is my own definition:
Wellll, ACTUALLY, it would probably be easier to list the states I DON'T consider yankee! LOL
In IMHO, the NON-yankee states are the 11 Old Confederate States plus Kentucky, Oklahoma and West Virginia. Also, Missouri, New Mexico and Arizona, while not Southern, don't really fit the definition. Several other western states like Nevada, Utah, Colorado, sorta "straddle" the borerline. What I would consider the "hardcore" yankee states are those that were absolutely Union during the "Civil War." Particularly the northeast/New England.
So far as on an individual level, birthplace and parentage can matter. For instance, a native Texan or Mississippian or Virginian can relocate to Chicago, but naturally they are not yankees.
Anyway, again, I am really curious and interested as to how others see it.
BTW -- very important. PLEASE state on your post where you are from and where you live now (if one is different from the other), as that will have a lot of bearing on the issue!
missouri was a slave state (so was maryland), but missouri was never officially part of the confederacy, thanks to st. louis's role as a union stronghold. read up on the missouri compromise, which allowed this state to split its sympathies to both the union and confederacy. nevertheless, missouri remained officially a union state throughout the entire civil war. we're not yankees, but we are a far cry from dixie. people in the st. louis area have much more in common with the north than the south.
I agree with what you said about ppl from St.louis having more in common with the north than the south. I would also like you to know that if you come out to where I live which is about 60 milles south of St.louis you will see big changes in ppl and how they think, fell and act. Down where I live we have nothing in common with St.louis except that it's also in Missouri.
Hey, just a quick comment about the whole yankee thing, I live in South Carolina now after relocating from Florida and before that the great northeast, Philadelphia, Pa. Since moving here 5 yrs ago, I have for the first time been called a yankee and a halfback. Halfback of course meaning that I came from the North moved to the South, (Florida is not considered the real south around here), then here, halfway back. Cute, huh? I never have thought of myself this way, using such labels to describe myself and I really don't appreciate anyone else doing it. But, hey, that's the way it is in these parts. Interesting that you found it funny and decided to figure out the whole philosophy of what it all means. Congrats, for being humane!!!
I agree with what you said about ppl from St.louis having more in common with the north than the south. I would also like you to know that if you come out to where I live which is about 60 milles south of St.louis you will see big changes in ppl and how they think, fell and act. Down where I live we have nothing in common with St.louis except that it's also in Missouri.
Then again a large portion of the difference is based on a rural/urban divide which is the root of most differences in this country. The big differences in Northern and Southern culture are rooted on the basis of large cities up until recent decades were almost non-existant in the South. That is why Southern culture is more tied into a more rural and agrarian past. Though one of the modern cultural developments is the rise of a Southern urban culture that Northern cities have had for over a century.
IMO its interesting that some ppl from a region that is supposed to be so hospitable are so quick to label ppl from another region and so quick to buy into outdated stereotypes of ppl from particular regions.
a lot of ppl are quick to divide but want to hide behind "southern hospitality" and all that. they want to show how diverse their region is and how much it has going for it but are quick to label something "not southern" such as the state of fl, the city of new orleans, the states of maryland and virginia, the commonwealth of dc, etc. etc.
like i said, in real life, i haven't met too many ppl throwing such archaic words around...but online on this site its a completely different story. with that said i did encounter a lot of subtle racism in the south to be honest. everything from being followed in stores, a lady looking at me on the elevator then clutching her bag extra tight (i thought that ish only happened in movies), bus drivers telling me what bus i was about to get on while putting their hand over the part where you put your change in when i knew damn well beforehand what bus i was on and where it was going (it was going to a white area but thats where i lived...), ppl locking their car doors when i get near, etc. etc.
oh and the treatment in nieman marcus...HA. thats another topic in and of itself but yeah...not gonna lie those things hurt my feelings and they irked me.
thats really off topic tho, so i'll leave it alone.
on topic, as i've said before in another topic, yankee is in no way an endearing term IMO. i do not wish to be called a yankee, period. call me a nyer, a northerner, someone from "up north," someone from out of state, etc.
but yankee? i'm good. that has a negative connotation to it, IMHO. unless you wish to be called a hick, redneck, etc. keep that word to yourself.
Then again a large portion of the difference is based on a rural/urban divide which is the root of most differences in this country. The big differences in Northern and Southern culture are rooted on the basis of large cities up until recent decades were almost non-existant in the South. That is why Southern culture is more tied into a more rural and agrarian past. Though one of the modern cultural developments is the rise of a Southern urban culture that Northern cities have had for over a century.
Yeah I agree with you on the rural/urban comment because I live in rural Missouri and we honestly have nothing in common with St.louis.
like i said, in real life, i haven't met too many ppl throwing such archaic words around...but online on this site its a completely different story. with that said i did encounter a lot of subtle racism in the south to be honest. everything from being followed in stores, a lady looking at me on the elevator then clutching her bag extra tight (i thought that ish only happened in movies), bus drivers telling me what bus i was about to get on while putting their hand over the part where you put your change in when i knew damn well beforehand what bus i was on and where it was going (it was going to a white area but thats where i lived...), ppl locking their car doors when i get near, etc. etc.
oh and the treatment in nieman marcus...HA. thats another topic in and of itself but yeah...not gonna lie those things hurt my feelings and they irked me.
Sorry, but if you think the South owns this type of reaction to your race, you are very sadly mistaken. This type of thing happens all over the country.
My friend in Brooklyn has complained about hailing cabs in NYC for YEARS, as just one (quite well known) example.
did i say that i thought that the south owns racism??
to clarify, in no way shape or form was i trying to imply that the south has some sort of monopoly on racism or that the north, in particular nyc, does not have racism.
Yeah I agree with you on the rural/urban comment because I live in rural Missouri and we honestly have nothing in common with St.louis.
This tends to be the case in almost every state and area. It is really the root of most political differences as well. The only real political and cultural battleground are suburbs. Generally inner suburbs are more like urban areas culturally while more outer suburbs are culturally similar to rural areas. I have noticed that population density seems to correlate to culture and political ideology. I am thinking a lot of the debate on urban development is tied to this since people might subconsiously figure this out.
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