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I'm going to say Maryland. It's kind of a South meets North, people from all over, white majority but still large minorities, inner city issues, rich suburbs, good beaches, historic towns, mountains in the western portion. For such a small state it packs a big punch. The weather has four seasons and has the classic hot and humid summers which cover a good portion of America and is the daily life of a majority of Americans in the summer. It also has brutal incursions of arctic weather that are typical of the Northeast. For instance Baltimore was just as cold as Philly and Boston in this latest cold snap. It has all the pro sports, lots of early American history, etc...
Any north of MD and the culture is way too "yankee". Any south of it and it's too "Dixie". If you spend a year in MD you've basically experienced the typical American's life.
I'm going to say Maryland. It's kind of a South meets North, people from all over, white majority but still large minorities, inner city issues, rich suburbs, good beaches, historic towns, mountains in the western portion. For such a small state it packs a big punch. The weather has four seasons and has the classic hot and humid summers which cover a good portion of America and is the daily life of a majority of Americans in the summer. It also has brutal incursions of arctic weather that are typical of the Northeast. For instance Baltimore was just as cold as Philly and Boston in this latest cold snap. It has all the pro sports, lots of early American history, etc...
Any north of MD and the culture is way too "yankee". Any south of it and it's too "Dixie". If you spend a year in MD you've basically experienced the typical American's life.
Missouri beats it based on historical ties to the West
Missouri beats it based on historical ties to the West
But it does not have a coastline or ties to the Northeast. It also does not closely neighbor or have a major, world-class city, which is where a large portion of Americans reside. Feel free to argue on any of these points. It is really tough to answer this question, but Maryland seems a better fit than Missouri.
But it does not have a coastline or ties to the Northeast. It also does not closely neighbor or have a major, world-class city, which is where a large portion of Americans reside. Feel free to argue on any of these points. It is really tough to answer this question, but Maryland seems a better fit than Missouri.
What world class city is in Maryland? DC sort of? Certainly not Baltimore. Honestly few would consider DC a world class city.
What Missouri has is the transition between North and South, East and West, and rural vs urban. Even St. Louis vs Kansas City is a contrast between the final Eastern city and the first Western one.
Maryland has a coastline but so does California. Maryland is firmly East and California is firmly West. Missouri is neither which is why it represents the country well.
Last edited by EddieOlSkool; 01-27-2018 at 02:00 PM..
What world class city is in Maryland? DC sort of? Certainly not Baltimore. Honestly few would consider DC a world class city.
What Missouri has is the transition between North and South, East and West, and rural vs urban. Even St. Louis vs Kansas City is a contrast between the final Eastern city and the first Western one.
Maryland has a coastline but so foes California. Maryland is firmly East and California is firmly West. Missouri is neither which is why it represents the country well.
I think geography is overemphasized as part of your argument. Quintessential "means representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class."
Now in terms of America; this needs to represent several things, ranging from geography, but also includes, culture, economy, people, institutions, etc. To emphasize geography alone is perhaps the wrong way to think of things.
And also I think this entire thread is forgetting that Pennsylvania's nickname is " The Keystone State". If you really want to make a geography argument
It should be noted the nickname The Keystone State has BOTH geographic but even more so institutional significance. As PA was the state that held the union together in terms of politics, finance and culture from the colonial era well into the late 19th/early 20th centuries.
Also Washington, D.C is 500% considered a World Class City. Have you not been?
I think geography is overemphasized as part of your argument. Quintessential "means representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class."
Now in terms of America; this needs to represent several things, ranging from geography, but also includes, culture, economy, people, institutions, etc. To emphasize geography alone is perhaps the wrong way to think of things.
And also I think this entire thread is forgetting that Pennsylvania's nickname is " The Keystone State". If you really want to make a geography argument
It should be noted the nickname The Keystone State has BOTH geographic but even more so institutional significance. As PA was the state that held the union together in terms of politics, finance and culture from the colonial era well into the late 19th/early 20th centuries.
Also Washington, D.C is 500% considered a World Class City. Have you not been?
History. I mean HELLO. America was FOUNDED HERE.
Legacy. Literally much of the foundation of American history and the American Industrial Revolution rests its Laurels in PA.
Culture. 2 Major Cities. Several other moderately size Metros. A sizable rural population. We have a relatively diverse population. And hold so many of the nation's legacy institutions in terms of culture right within the state.
Varied Geography
We are The Keystone State. And are centrally located within the Mid - Atlantic/North East
Topography wise; the state is quite varied
3rd or 4th highest number of institutions of Higher Education in the USA
In terms of agriculture:
Lancaster County PA is considered to be one of the most fertile areas in North America.
Adams County, PA has one of the highest outputs of orchard farm production in the USA
Kennet Square, PA is the Mushroom Capital of the World. Producing over 1Million Pounds of Mushroom. PER WEEK.
I mean I can keep going and going.
Economically we are quite diverse and have successfully transitioned our 2 largest cities from World Class Manufacturing Hubs to World Class: Eds/Meds and Tech Hubs.
The state still faces challenges, and many of those same challenges represent the same microsom of people all over the nation.
The innovation started here. The innovation is still happening here.
No offense to MO. It is a fine place. But I think it is ironic to consider Middle America to be 'quintessential' when in terms of where people live, it is not really that Central.
For example 40% of the US Population is within a one day drive of Pennsylvania and 60% of the Canadian population
I'm going to say Maryland. It's kind of a South meets North, people from all over, white majority but still large minorities, inner city issues, rich suburbs, good beaches, historic towns, mountains in the western portion. For such a small state it packs a big punch. The weather has four seasons and has the classic hot and humid summers which cover a good portion of America and is the daily life of a majority of Americans in the summer. It also has brutal incursions of arctic weather that are typical of the Northeast. For instance Baltimore was just as cold as Philly and Boston in this latest cold snap. It has all the pro sports, lots of early American history, etc...
Any north of MD and the culture is way too "yankee". Any south of it and it's too "Dixie". If you spend a year in MD you've basically experienced the typical American's life.
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