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Old 05-25-2012, 04:24 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mutiny77 View Post
There's very little French Huguenot influence in SC, and the little that's there is relegated to Charleston. The Creole and Cajun influence in LA are much more widespread.
thats exactly my point-the french huguenots blended fairly quickly into the english/scottish majority there because they were protestants, their calvinist religion fused into larger protestant denominations.

had the cajuns been prorestants there would hardly be any trace of their culture left in LA.
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Old 05-25-2012, 04:25 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DownSouth88 View Post
People tend to think of Mississippi and Alabama as the most backwards, redneck states in the country. On some levels, Louisiana is sometimes grouped in with these states, together marking the three true "deep South" states in the country (since Georgia has been taken over by Atlanta and is progressing quickly with loads of transplants). Other people tend to think of Louisiana as "it's own country," or as something of an anomaly in the South, not fitting in with "traditional" Southern culture.

I don't want anyone to think too much or to over-analyze this question; go with your gut. Do you consider Louisiana to belong to the same group as Mississippi and Alabama?
I absolutely don't group them together, because Louisiana is far, far worse than the other two.

There are some really okay parts of both Mississippi and Alabama. I've driven extensively in LA, and outside a few isolated portions of New Orleans, I found the entire thing to be an unfortunate amalgamation of swamp and desperate slum. N.O., in particular, is one of the most run-down, terrifying major cities in the country.

Katrina was a warning; a message to get out. Some people listened. Others came back. I don't know if it'll take a second major hurricane, a rerouting of the river (which WILL eventually happen), or massive flooding brought on by global warming, but the city is doomed... and that's isn't necessarily a bad thing.
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Old 05-25-2012, 07:17 PM
 
Location: New Orleans
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonsereed View Post
thats exactly my point-the french huguenots blended fairly quickly into the english/scottish majority there because they were protestants, their calvinist religion fused into larger protestant denominations.

had the cajuns been prorestants there would hardly be any trace of their culture left in LA.
I don't think it is just the religion aspect alone. The Cajuns that moved to Louisiana lived in rural isolated areas. You know the stereotypical bayous and swamps that Cajuns are always depicted in. That is one of the reasons they were able to preserve their heritage and a large amount of the population still spoke Cajun French well into the 1950's and such, even though they had been in Louisiana since the 1700s. Plus they were in Catholic dominated colonial state already, so everybody else was Catholic as well which going along with your logic with the French Huguenots meant they should have assimilated with their other fellow Catholics. But the fact that they lived in an isolated area of Louisiana and relied on their surroundings is one main reason why they developed such a unique culture. Strangely enough there were other ethnic groups in the area but they assimilated into the dominant Cajun culture, for example there was an area called the German Coast (which was not really in the heart of Cajun Country) in the 1700s but over time these Germans become intermarried with Cajuns and they are all considered Cajuns today.
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Old 05-25-2012, 07:33 PM
 
Location: South Carolina
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DownSouth88 View Post
I don't want anyone to think too much or to over-analyze this question; go with your gut. Do you consider Louisiana to belong to the same group as Mississippi and Alabama?
Yes, and I've lived in Alabama (lower and upper). The state is largely rural, hot and humid, low education results vs the rest of the nation, not typically a state people TRY to move to. Two and only two things differentiates Lousiana significantly for me: 1. New Orleans, 2. The cajun/creole culture influence which many would say NO is the epicenter of. So culturally I would say Lousiana doesn't belong to any group as any other US state, strictly due to one city and its influence, but in most other terms besides that, Louisiana is basically West Missibama.
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Old 05-25-2012, 08:10 PM
 
Location: New Orleans
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MantaRay View Post
Yes, and I've lived in Alabama (lower and upper). The state is largely rural, hot and humid, low education results vs the rest of the nation, not typically a state people TRY to move to. Two and only two things differentiates Lousiana significantly for me: 1. New Orleans, 2. The cajun/creole culture influence which many would say NO is the epicenter of. So culturally I would say Lousiana doesn't belong to any group as any other US state, strictly due to one city and its influence, but in most other terms besides that, Louisiana is basically West Missibama.
Just a couple things I would like to say. Most of your things that you compare Louisiana and Alabama are not really the best ways to compare those states. For example Alabama has 55.4% of population in urban areas and Louisiana has a 72.6% urban, so technically Alabama is more rural (according to the 2000 census). Many of the states around these states are also hot and humid including Georgia and such. The educational factors are not that bad compared to to other parts of this country. For example when comparing the percentage of people with college degrees: Alabama has 22%, Louisiana has 21.5%, Indiana has 22.5%, and Ohio has 24% which is not that big of a difference (but I guess Alabama and Louisiana are somewhat similar with those statistics). They both seem to have had a lot slower rate of population growth/migration compared to some sorrounding "Sun Belt" states but I dont know if that means people try not to move thier. But I do understand what you are saying because they do seem to have some of these things in common (but so do some of the sorrounding states as well as some states around the country) but really I think this discussion was based off of cultutral factors. Also Cajun culture has barely anything to do with New Orleans. It is centered largely around Lafayette which is 130 miles west of New Orleans and this very large region is called Acadiana or Cajun Country and takes up a large portion of South Louisiana.

Last edited by Jimbo_1; 05-25-2012 at 08:31 PM..
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Old 05-25-2012, 09:08 PM
 
Location: South Carolina
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbo_1 View Post
Also Cajun culture has barely anything to do with New Orleans. It is centered largely around Lafayette which is 130 miles west of New Orleans and this very large region is called Acadiana or Cajun Country and takes up a large portion of South Louisiana.
Yet ironically the rest of the world's awareness of the existence of "cajun" has little to do with their knowledge of anything about Lafayette and has much to do with the extent to which all things "New Orleans" has been marketed to their corner of the world.

Another similarity of all 3 states: the bulk of their tourism dollars and influx comes from the southern edge of the state. Interesting due to another similarity- their coasts are probably the 3 least scenic/aesthetic coasts of all the states (notwithstanding Texas). Another similarity- as a collective, each state's citizenry probably cares more about SEC football than about anything else that happens in the state.
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Old 05-25-2012, 10:31 PM
 
Location: New Orleans
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MantaRay View Post
Yet ironically the rest of the world's awareness of the existence of "cajun" has little to do with their knowledge of anything about Lafayette and has much to do with the extent to which all things "New Orleans" has been marketed to their corner of the world.

Another similarity of all 3 states: the bulk of their tourism dollars and influx comes from the southern edge of the state. Interesting due to another similarity- their coasts are probably the 3 least scenic/aesthetic coasts of all the states (notwithstanding Texas). Another similarity- as a collective, each state's citizenry probably cares more about SEC football than about anything else that happens in the state.
I guess the Cajun thing was all just good marketing on New Orleans' part to attract more tourist but really you want find anything their that is Cajun besides some food.

The Louisiana coast is just marshes besides some small fishing towns with beaches. Then Mississippi has alright beaches but the highway their was very nice with the large live oak trees and the beautiful historic homes up on 15-20 foot bluffs (a good amount of the houses were sadly lost during the hurricane but many were rebuilt). I always thought Alabama's coast has some of the best beaches in the country (a lot of Louisianians go to it as well as Florida's). I dont think Florida's coast is that much better than Alabama's which might not be as famous but is still very popular with all the condos and hotels. They are both not that scenic besides some white sand and blue/green water and all those high-rise condos. But If thier coast were any different then they would probably lose a lot of tourist dollars.

You have to know that Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and such are just as crazy about thier SEC football too.
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Old 05-25-2012, 10:38 PM
 
Location: On the Great South Bay
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Default In your mind, do you group Louisiana with Mississippi and Alabama?

Quote:
Originally Posted by DownSouth88 View Post
People tend to think of Mississippi and Alabama as the most backwards, redneck states in the country. On some levels, Louisiana is sometimes grouped in with these states, together marking the three true "deep South" states in the country (since Georgia has been taken over by Atlanta and is progressing quickly with loads of transplants). Other people tend to think of Louisiana as "it's own country," or as something of an anomaly in the South, not fitting in with "traditional" Southern culture.

I don't want anyone to think too much or to over-analyze this question; go with your gut. Do you consider Louisiana to belong to the same group as Mississippi and Alabama?
Southeners such as yourself probably emphasize the cultural differences/similarities between these states. But being from outside the South and also being a geography & history buff, I tend to group these states like this.

Mississippi --- Alabama --- Georgia

Louisiana- Akansas

Mississippi-Alabama-Georgia. This one is easier to explain. Briefly after the Revolution, Georgia tried to claim all the territory to the Mississippi River (Alabama and Mississippi) and if you look at a map today their borders closely follow each other, particually the northern border with Tennessee. They look similar on a map to me and I sort of think of them as the "3 sisters of the Deep South".

Louisiana - Arkansas. During the early part of American history, Louisiana (including Arkansas) was a French or Spanish colony. Also, during the Civil War both of these states were part of the Transmissippi Department of the Confederacy while most of Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia was part of the Western Dept. Geograhically the Louisiana and Arkansas borders flow into each other north-south wise, especially along the Texas border. And there are even bayous in southeastern Arkansas.

Louisiana would have been an even more interesting state if she contained the mountains and territory of Arkansas. Its kind of odd that Texas is so gigantic but the Federal government chopped Louisiana and Arkansas into two smaller states.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-M...ppi_Department

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western...ican_Civil_War

Georgia land claims until early 1800s http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_land_claims
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Old 05-25-2012, 11:55 PM
 
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Note Cajun and Creole is not the same thing, I had to learn this. New Orleans is more Creole, Lafayette is Cajun.

But anyway

A lot of posters are saying South Louisiana can't be group oh yes it can South Louisiana, Mississippi's Gulf, Alabama's Gulf can be grouped. There's reasons why Mobile and New Orleans have similar historic architecture, both have Carnivals and etc. It's only a small part but never the less it's not like where taking about all Louisiana anyways.


http://www.giftednurses.com/sites/de...erage-area.jpg


North Louisiana, most of Mississippi, and most of Alabama can be grouped with part of Georgia, But Besides Coulumbus, Rome, maybe Albany not really. Mississippi is 3 million Georgia is nearly 10. Further more north Louisiana has much more in common with East Texas then Georgia.


http://www.scenicusa.net/BNR_images/...RegionsLVG.gif
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Old 05-26-2012, 12:29 AM
 
Location: South Carolina
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbo_1 View Post
I always thought Alabama's coast has some of the best beaches in the country (a lot of Louisianians go to it as well as Florida's). I dont think Florida's coast is that much better than Alabama's which might not be as famous but is still very popular with all the condos and hotels.
Alabama's coast only gets nice once you go just east of the Mobile Bay, just east of Gulf Shores. West of there is brown gulf water, which isn't close to as scenic as eastern Alabama and the entirety of Florida's blue-green water. I think overall tourist dollars per mile of coastline tend to offer the same opinion.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbo_1 View Post
You have to know that Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and such are just as crazy about thier SEC football too.
Georgia has Atlanta and Savannah, which are very big draws apart from SEC football, not to mention a history of strong ACC support in the form of former football national champion Georgia Tech as well as their historically successful basketball teams. South Carolina has Charleston and Hilton head, not to mention it's just as gung-ho for ACC (in the form of Clemson) as it is Gamecocks SEC football. Actually it could be argued that pre-Spurrier, ACC football was by FAR preferred and cheered for in SC than SEC football. Florida has also loved ACC in the form of national champion Florida State as well as big east, formerly independent in the form of national champion The U. Bottom line- there are other big items of focus by the citizens besides SEC football. SEC football is popular for sure, but isn't as all-consuming in GA, SC, and FL as it is in AL, MS, and LA.

Quote:
Originally Posted by chiatldal View Post
Mobile and New Orleans have similar historic architecture, both have Carnivals and etc.
And more specifically, Mardi Gras celebration, actually originated in Mobile- New Orleans picked up the festivities after Mobile had already put them in place. It is another reason those 3 states are linked. Neither Texas's coastal cities nor Florida's celebrate Mardi Gras like the area from Mobile to New Orleans. It is yet another tie that binds, a huge cultural one.
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