Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > General U.S.
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 01-16-2013, 08:56 AM
 
Location: Lincoln, NE (via SW Virginia)
1,644 posts, read 2,160,991 times
Reputation: 1071

Advertisements

Which states do you feel are most integral to Southern culture and what it means to be culturally southern? Both historically, culturally, musically, gastronomically, etc.

Is it Alabama because it's spot today as a college football powerhouse?
Is it Virginia because it's historical/military contributions to the South?
Is it Louisiana because of it's gastronomical contributions?
Is it South Carolina because it's badass beaches?
Is it Georgia because it's of Atlanta economic power?
Is it Tennessee because of it's musical contributions?

What state makes the South..."The South" to you....Which is the most important.


**Not sure if this has been "done" or not...but nevertheless I'm sure a ton of people will have their opinions.***

Last edited by wnewberry22; 01-16-2013 at 09:43 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 01-16-2013, 09:30 AM
 
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,720 posts, read 23,645,291 times
Reputation: 14561
I've been to TN, NC, SC, GA, VA, and FL and South Carolina felt the most Southern to me. It wasn't the badass beaches (not sure how that makes it Southern and NC has equally as nice if not better beaches, Outer Banks are my favorite), SC just has a more palpable old school conservative and Southern feel to it. I haven't been to the deep south yet (AL/MS/LA) and I'd bet they'd compete, but out of the Atlantic southern states SC is the most Southern for sure politically and also the plantations I had seen outside Charleston. Charleston itself is a good representation of the Old South, along with the woodlands in upstate SC where it feels less impacted by Northern transplants.

Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 01-16-2013 at 09:56 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2013, 09:39 AM
 
Location: Atlanta
644 posts, read 1,424,443 times
Reputation: 337
I agree with South Carolina. NC, Ga, and VA are the 'New South'...transplants have forever changed the character of the aforementioned. They still have their parts where you know you are in the south, but not as a whole.

2nd place would go to Mississippi then 3rd to Alabama.

And Florida isn't the south....lol
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2013, 09:41 AM
 
Location: "Daytonnati"
4,243 posts, read 7,139,056 times
Reputation: 3014
The South is so heavily regionalized it would be difficult to say.

I am not a fan of the South so my POV is more 'negative'....so....

My guess would be Alabama due to the recent history, and maybe South Carolina, since it is the cultural cradle of the South.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2013, 09:45 AM
 
Location: Lincoln, NE (via SW Virginia)
1,644 posts, read 2,160,991 times
Reputation: 1071
Quote:
Originally Posted by caphillsea77 View Post
I've been to TN, NC, SC, GA, VA, and FL and South Carolina felt the most Southern to me. It wasn't the badass beaches (not sure how that makes it Southern and NC has equally as nice if not better beaches, Outer Banks are my favorite), SC just has a more palpable old school conservative and Southern feel to it. I haven't been to the deep south yet (AL/MS/LA) and I'd bet they'd compete, but out of the Atlantic southern states SC is the most Southern for sure politically and also the plantations I had seen outside Charleston, and Charleston itself is a good representation of the Old South, along with the woodlands in upstate SC where it feels less impacted by Northern transplants.
Yeah you're probably right about the beaches thing with SC. I grew up in the Tri Cities area of TN/VA and when anyone mentioned SC in any context it was in reference to Myrtle Beach which I guess is what distorts my image of the state.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2013, 09:53 AM
 
83 posts, read 277,621 times
Reputation: 62
Not Texas (Texans have their own independent culture that has Southern influences, but is indeed distinctively Texan), Not Florida (save Panhandle), Not Atlanta metropolitan area, and Not Virginia (as of 2012), Not Louisiana (own distinct Creole and Cajun culture, again, with Southern influences but its own distinct culture that is independent from the South. And they are also too French, too Catholic to be aligned with Southern Culture).

Everywhere else is important to Southern Culture.

Last edited by surfer778; 01-16-2013 at 10:01 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2013, 10:07 AM
 
Location: Lincoln, NE (via SW Virginia)
1,644 posts, read 2,160,991 times
Reputation: 1071
I'm sure it's just because I'm a Virginian by birth but I still think that, despite it's transitioning demographics, it is one of the most important Southern states to the culture of what the South is today. You can't talk about really any unique southern aspects (moonshine running, sweet tea, cuisine in general (excluding cajun) nascar, the confederacy, RE Lee, Country Music, College Football, religion (baptists specifically), plantations, and tobacco) that don't have STRONG ties to VA.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2013, 10:29 AM
 
Location: "Daytonnati"
4,243 posts, read 7,139,056 times
Reputation: 3014
^
I came close to picking VA, but decided on SC due to the nature of the planation system.

SC was intended to be a sort of mainland version of a Caribbean plantation economy worked by slaves, which brought in the racial aspect of the South.

VA was originally not slave based, but used indentured servitude. So there was a bit of difference.

Not sure about tobacco. Yes a defining feature of a part of the South, but i think cotton moreso? That was not necessarily the colonial crop but came about later. Does anyone know which state adopted the cotton crop as a planation crop first, at a large scale?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2013, 10:44 AM
 
Location: Lincoln, NE (via SW Virginia)
1,644 posts, read 2,160,991 times
Reputation: 1071
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dayton Sux View Post
^
I came close to picking VA, but decided on SC due to the nature of the planation system.

SC was intended to be a sort of mainland version of a Caribbean plantation economy worked by slaves, which brought in the racial aspect of the South.

VA was originally not slave based, but used indentured servitude. So there was a bit of difference.

Not sure about tobacco. Yes a defining feature of a part of the South, but i think cotton moreso? That was not necessarily the colonial crop but came about later. Does anyone know which state adopted the cotton crop as a planation crop first, at a large scale?

Not sure about which state adopted Cotton first. I know that cotton DOES grow in VA and NC but it's in the southeastern portions of each state. Cotton grows well in Emporia VA which is one of the most heavily african american communities in VA. NC's eastern shores can grow it as well I believe....However, Tobacco was the cash crop of the south initially which is why VA and NC were so integral in the beginnings but the profit margins for cotton were higher. Cotton grows better in the warmer, more humid climates which is why "the south moved south."

***Disclaimer: I think that information is accurate but I didn't look any of it up...just remembering from history class back in the mid 90's***
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-16-2013, 10:51 AM
 
Location: The Magnolia City
8,928 posts, read 14,254,756 times
Reputation: 4853
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:

Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > General U.S.

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top