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Virginia (except for Northern Virginia) is perhaps the most conservative state in the nation, and is perhaps the state that first comes to mind when the word "Confederacy" is mentioned to a Yankee. Ironically, Massachusetts is now known to be perhaps the most liberal state in the country, and is the state that is perhaps thought to be the most "Yankee" of all Northern/Midwestern/Western states (but of course is far from the biggest of all those).
Virginia (except for Northern Virginia) is perhaps the most conservative state in the nation, and is perhaps the state that first comes to mind when the word "Confederacy" is mentioned to a Yankee. Ironically, Massachusetts is now known to be perhaps the most liberal state in the country, and is the state that is perhaps thought to be the most "Yankee" of all Northern/Midwestern/Western states (but of course is far from the biggest of all those).
I don't see VA, even not considering NOVA, as the most conservative state or even close to it. I also don't think first of it when I hear "Confederacy" (I think South Carolina) but the capital of the Confederacy was in VA so I could see why people would, and this is just me of course.
Well, they are in different regions. They are culturally different, and kind of always have been. They have similar histories as being states where the earliest European settlements in the New World were, but that's about it as far as I know.
They are actually both commonwealths, not technically states, a weird similarity they have along with PA and Kentucky, which is cool info but really doesn't mean much except maybe reflect the early American history - but then again Kentucky was not one of the original 13 colonies so it's not like being a commonwealth is really that special.
Wait, what exactly is similar about Massachusetts and Virginia, besides being old?
I mean, yes, the two were both part of the original 13 colonies. But even then, they were quite different culturally. Ironically enough, at that time in U.S. history the southern colonies were noted for being very uninterested in religion (most people in rural areas weren't even members of churches) while New England was a hotbed of conservative Christian piousness.
VA and MA are mostly only similar due to the colonial history, but these two stand out (to me) because VA was historically the home of most federal politicians from the South, and Massachusetts was the home of most federal politicians from the North.
Also, "Confederacy" brings to mind "Virginia" for me because Robert E Lee was from VA, and the Civil War split the original Virginia in two - remember, West Virginia broke off from VA in 1863. Actually, why that split didn't happen earlier - since the slavery debate really started to heat up back in 1854, and the Civil War started in 1861, I don't get.
It may have something to do with weather, or urbanization.
Virginia has a farm feel to it, while Mass is known for Boston, and seafood. There are farms in Mass, but Mass is so much smaller, so Boston takes center stage.
VA and MA are mostly only similar due to the colonial history, but these two stand out (to me) because VA was historically the home of most federal politicians from the South, and Massachusetts was the home of most federal politicians from the North.
Also, "Confederacy" brings to mind "Virginia" for me because Robert E Lee was from VA, and the Civil War split the original Virginia in two - remember, West Virginia broke off from VA in 1863. Actually, why that split didn't happen earlier - since the slavery debate really started to heat up back in 1854, and the Civil War started in 1861, I don't get.
You are 100% on the history similarities, but I think that's where similarities end.
I don't see VA and MA as having similar histories at all.
VA was an agrarian enterprise colony founded to make money for investors.
MA was a refuge for Congregationalists seeking separation from the Church of England.
VA plantations and farmers grew tobacco
MA merchants traded and built ships
MA was the home of the Federalists
VA had some Federalists (eg Madison), and a lot of Democratic-Republicans
IMO, these two states have very different histories and it's no wonder at all why there are many differences between them.
Virginia (except for Northern Virginia) is perhaps the most conservative state in the nation, and is perhaps the state that first comes to mind when the word "Confederacy" is mentioned to a Yankee. Ironically, Massachusetts is now known to be perhaps the most liberal state in the country, and is the state that is perhaps thought to be the most "Yankee" of all Northern/Midwestern/Western states (but of course is far from the biggest of all those).
I think they began to be different from Day 1.
First let me say that you got the very first two English colonies (Massachusetts includes Plymouth), so they both had an outsized influence on the later colonies. Btw Virginia is the most conservative state in the Union?
I think what separates the two is the kind of people that moved into Massachusetts; the Pilgrim/Puritans. These people wanted freedom of religion for themselves and less authority from London. Thus they wanted to control their local area, keeping out undesirables (non Puritans), and the best way to do that was with a small local government. Thus the rise of the New England Town, which eventually spread to other parts of the Northeast and Midwest.
Virginians on the other hand, began to spread out and establish larger farms and plantations. They did not see the need for a lot of small town governments. But they did see a use for County level governments which could provide better protection for isolated farms and plantations. Thus the rise of the County level government which today covers much of the South and the West.
MA was the home of the Federalists
VA had some Federalists (eg Madison), and a lot of Democratic-Republicans
Interesting. The Federalist Party became the Whig Party, which was replaced by the Republican Party, right? I do have to ask though... why was the Democratic Party ever "Democratic-Republican" and not shortened to Democratic all along?
And why is the Republican Party not called something else? I thought "republicanism" was the opposition to a monarchy, but there has been no monarchy in America since the Revolution...
I don't see VA, even not considering NOVA, as the most conservative state or even close to it. I also don't think first of it when I hear "Confederacy" (I think South Carolina) but the capital of the Confederacy was in VA so I could see why people would, and this is just me of course.
Well, they are in different regions. They are culturally different, and kind of always have been. They have similar histories as being states where the earliest European settlements in the New World were, but that's about it as far as I know.
They are actually both commonwealths, not technically states, a weird similarity they have along with PA and Kentucky, which is cool info but really doesn't mean much except maybe reflect the early American history - but then again Kentucky was not one of the original 13 colonies so it's not like being a commonwealth is really that special.
Kentucky is probably a Commonwealth because it originally was part of Virginia.
I am guessing that the States took the name Commonwealth because they had just broke away from the British Empire and had become Republics. They may have been thinking of the Commonwealth of England - the brief period of time in the mid 1600s when England was a Republic.
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