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not trying to accuse people of lying, but i'm starting to wonder just how many people truly truly know the south. we are definitely different with our own culture, but most of the heavily populated and progressive areas (especially in the upper south) are not THAT drastically different from places up north
i'm still one to argue that simply being americans is a unique trait that we share with no other place
I've never really agreed with all the talk of similarities between Montreal/Quebec City and New Orleans, based simply on their distant French colonial past. About the only things would be street and neighbourhood names and perhaps a passion for interesting cuisine. Even the architecture of the French Quarter is more Spanish colonial than French I'd say.
Plus, virtually no one speaks French in New Orleans, and the majority of the population is made up of African-Americans (not that I have anything against African-Americans). But when Canadian francophones go to Louisiana to find "distant cousins", they generally go to bayou country and places like Lafayette.
Now, I thought New Orleans was great and fun, but I didn't really feel at "home" there as a Canadian francophone (nor did I expect to). Bayou country didn't really feel that much like "home" either, but there was certainly something interesting and vaguely familiar there that doesn't exist in almost any other part of the U.S.
That said, the part of the U.S. that likely feels most like "home" for Canadian francophones is probably not Louisiana Cajun country, but rather northern Aroostook County in Maine.
Well, Louisiana is different. Louisiana has more of a Caribbean feel to it than the rest of the Southeast. Louisiana is different. Alot of French Canadians(also known as Acadians) fled New Brunswick and Nova Scotia because the British crown wanted them to pledge allegiance to it and many of the residents didn't want to. Many left and went to Louisiana. The vague familiarity you speak of exists because of Louisiana's geography. Acadians settled in the swamp areas of Louisiana. The geography provided relative isolation, so the Acadians(later known as Cajuns) could live amongst one another and speak French.
However, the differences came from some of the African, Spanish, and Native American cultures in the state in its early days. There were some Native American influences as well from that region. The cuisine came from the local ingredients. Peppers grew in the area. The warm, humid climate allowed for the growing of rice, a staple in Cajun food. Other ingredients include sassafras, which came from the Native Americans and when ground into a powder, usable for gumbo. There are also African and Spanish influences in the food. Okra came from Africa and is used in gumbo. The famous Cajun dish jambalaya is actually of Spanish influence. When the Spanish went to Louisiana, they brought the rice dish paella with them. Jambalaya is a close cousin to paella. Other ingredients used include alligator, crawfish, shrimp,oysters, turtle, boars,etc. All of these are local animals in Louisiana and Cajuns made good use of it for food.
This is the difference I see. While French can be heard in what is called "Acadiana", Francophone residents do not make up the majority in Louisiana. Francophone residents continued to make up the majority of the population throughout its history as a province. In Louisiana, this is not so. Also, the history is a bit different. Like Quebec, Louisiana was also colonised by France. However, there are some things I must disclose. In Louisiana, you could be punished for speaking French in school. And in the 1900's, one of those punishments included spanking. In the 1900's, there was certain a large number of Francophones in Louisiana, but in the government, English was spoken. In a way, French was treated as a "minority" language, even in Louisiana. After a few generations, fewer and fewer people spoke French.
The Constitution Act, 1867 required both French and English for the enactment of laws. In Louisiana, English is used, although, many of Louisiana's laws are based from Code Napoleon.
I would say that in regards to North vs South, Quebec has a bit more in common with its northern USA neighbors than Louisiana and this is my argument. Although slavery did exist in Quebec, slavery was abolished in Canada without a fight. In Louisiana, slavery existed until the bitter end, when it took the entire Southeast losing the Civil War for slavery to end. I have noticed that the places where slavery existed the longest and was the most entrenched, education has lagged. I would argue that the education system in Quebec has had longer to develop and with French speaking people in the majority, public schools were more available in French. In Louisiana, not so much. Northern states in the USA have historically had better schools than in the South. I think Quebec is a reflection of that.
Alot of French Canadians(also known as Acadians) fled New Brunswick and Nova Scotia because the British crown wanted them to pledge allegiance to it and many of the residents didn't want to. Many left and went to Louisiana.
Most of the Acadians who went to Louisiana did not "up and leave" voluntarily. Their land and properties were seized and they were forcibly deported on small ships and dories. This actually happened to the vast majority of my ancestors, so it is a huge part of my family history. (I live in Quebec but am primarily of Acadian descent.)
not trying to accuse people of lying, but i'm starting to wonder just how many people truly truly know the south. we are definitely different with our own culture, but most of the heavily populated and progressive areas (especially in the upper south) are not THAT drastically different from places up north
i'm still one to argue that simply being americans is a unique trait that we share with no other place
I admitedly do not know much about the South. I've been through there via airplane and I've lived in Central Ohio, which isn't South but had "Southern isms" and I was not a huge fan of the cultural differences. However, that's not to say the South doesn't have anything to offer or that I can't appreciate it -- I just find it MORE different than Canada in a lot of ways. I know when I travel south I'm always amazed that I am still in America because it seems so foreign to me. Ultimately though, the South is just as American as any part of this country, regardless how it seems.
Most of the Acadians who went to Louisiana did not "up and leave" voluntarily. Their land and properties were seized and they were forcibly deported on small ships and dories. This actually happened to the vast majority of my ancestors, so it is a huge part of my family history. (I live in Quebec but am primarily of Acadian descent.)
Something I forgot to include. I do know there were problems in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick between the British and the French.
well, not to throw it in your face, but even you yourself admitted to knowing little about the "the south". i'm sorry, but there's absolutely no way jersey is more like any place in canada than it is like maryland or northern virginia. no way
I admitedly do not know much about the South. I've been through there via airplane and I've lived in Central Ohio, which isn't South but had "Southern isms" and I was not a huge fan of the cultural differences. However, that's not to say the South doesn't have anything to offer or that I can't appreciate it -- I just find it MORE different than Canada in a lot of ways. I know when I travel south I'm always amazed that I am still in America because it seems so foreign to me. Ultimately though, the South is just as American as any part of this country, regardless how it seems.
What a strange post. You have never been south of central Ohio and you use that as a judge for whether you like the south or how it feels different? Central Ohio is not the south. Cincinnati is the dividing line to me. Cincinnati does not feel totally southern/northern/midwestern to me- it's a mix. I encoutered some extremely southern people in the nothern KY suburbs of Cincy. (much more southern seeming than Tennesseans IMO, which is funny since they are further north).
I didn't love Iowa (really disliked Sioux City, like Cedar Rapids better). How would you feel if I claimed an opinion based on your whole area of the country based on Sioux City? It makes no sense, and as you said yourself, you've never actually been to the south.
If you have never been through the South, then you really have no way to judge. I have travelled extensively through the US and Canada. Vancouver and Calgary are nothing like Michigan, New York, etc. Toronto is nothing like Philadelphia or Boston.
I'll say it again, I think most people trying to compare in this thread have never spent much time in Canada or the South.
BTW- if you haven't been to the South, you are missing a lot of great food, music, and nice people. I would highly recommend a visit.
I would say that culturally, the South is more different from Canada than the North is from Canada. I think being closer to Canada would make a difference for the northern USA. Canada was ruled by the British Crown much longer than the USA was. The way both places became a nation are different. The USA became a nation through a rebellion against the British Crown. There were rebellions in Canada, but from what I have read, Canada became a nation in a much different way than the USA.
Immigrant patterns can also make a difference. For instance, Minnesota has received large numbers of Scandinavian immigrants, so the culture would be different from say, Tennessee, which has a large Scot-Irish influence. In response to acajack's post, there is one thing I forgot to put in. Culturally, Northern Maine is closer to Quebec's culture than Louisiana is. northern Maine(Madawaska region) has the largest percentage of French-Canadians in the USA. Actually, a larger percentage of households in northern Maine speak French than in Louisiana.
Politically, the South is much more conservative compared to Canada, and the northern USA.
In the USA, it is Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. In Canada, the ethos is Peace, Order, and Good Government.
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