which state has the most rich history? (land, ranked)

[mach234]

virginia
Massachusetts
new york
Pennsylvania
south Carolina
Maryland
Ohio

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by mach234

virginia
Massachusetts
new york
Pennsylvania
south Carolina
Maryland
Ohio

tough one

I do think MA/NY/PA/VA would probably be in the running and among the top 4

MD is also the next likely and actually NJ has more history (esp if you go back to the countries inception and prior)

Some others like SC, GA, LA have a lot of interesting longer term US history

TX and CA would have a ton if you included Mexican aspects

If I were forced to rank I would put a 3 way tie with VA/PA/MA (IMHO an argument could legitmately be made for any of these three)

Followed by NY


Here is some list on 25 most important battles - but one aspect really (many on this list are outside the US)

The Most Important Battles in US History

Interetsingly this is a top 10 events/battles in the world with two from VA (not sure I agree with any of these lists in total just some info to chew one)

The History Place - Top Ten Battles of All Time

Another list (or more lists)

Top 10 Important Events in US History - Listverse

LAPL Teen Web | Homework Help Sites | Important Dates in American History

Chronology of Important Events in American History

[IDS30]

VA and SC's history is much different than the rest

[Woodchucker]

I agree with kidphilly that it's between MA, PA, and VA. At least when it comes to American history. The history of this country, and the colonies that originally formed it. Obviously all of the country is rich in history in some way or another. CA, NM, and TX have fascinating Spanish history. The midwest has French history. The whole country has native history.

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by Woodchucker

I agree with kidphilly that it's between MA, PA, and VA. At least when it comes to American history. The history of this country, and the colonies that originally formed it. Obviously all of the country is rich in history in some way or another. CA, NM, and TX have fascinating Spanish history. The midwest has French history. The whole country has native history.

what is also interesting to me is that if you take these three states and sort of their contribution you in many ways get the great American experiment that evolved based on their early settlements and foundational values (over-simplified here)

MA - Puritanism - Hard working/Industrious
PA - Quaker - Tolerance/Freedom/Rights
VA - Powerful Land Owners - Capitalist/Entrepreneurialism

to me they may be the three pillars of what the american experiments continues to strive for

NYC - through extension NY state was the place that looked to operationalize the ethos in a sense

Just a random thought but the idea/notion popped in my head in reading your response and the above is way over-simplified but to me sort makes sense in looking at the history and influence of our founding - obviously many other states contributed as well

[Scotty011]

Originally Posted by mach234

virginia
Massachusetts
new york
Pennsylvania
south Carolina
Maryland
Ohio

Every one of the states listed is rich in history. Who can say who has the most?

[Woodchucker]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

what is also interesting to me is that if you take these three states and sort of their contribution you in many ways get the great American experiment that evolved based on their early settlements and foundational values (over-simplified here)

MA - Puritanism - Hard working/Industrious
PA - Quaker - Tolerance/Freedom/Rights
VA - Powerful Land Owners - Capitalist/Entrepreneurialism

to me they may be the three pillars of what the american experiments continues to strive for

NYC - through extension NY state was the place a place looked to operationalize the ethos in a sense

Just a random thought but the idea/notion popped in my head in reading your response and the above is way over-simplified but to me sort makes sense in looking at the history and influence of our founding - obviously many other states contributed as well

I totally agree and have thought about that idea before, although I'm not sure I would have been able to explain it. Those values are definitely reflected in the original English settlements of each area. Jamestown was a capitalist venture to grow tobacco. Plymouth was a settlement of dutiful religious folk. And Penn's Quaker settlement was founded on the idea of tolerance.

Those values could be extended to New England, Mid-Atlantic, and the South too. Although New York was a bit different from PA, having been a Dutch colony. I like the idea that NYC is where the values all mixed. Hard working like New England, Tolerant like Pennsylvania, and Entrepreneurs like the South.

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by Woodchucker

I totally agree and have thought about that idea before, although I'm not sure I would have been able to explain it. Those values are definitely reflected in the original English settlements of each area. Jamestown was a capitalist venture to grow tobacco. Plymouth was a settlement of dutiful religious folk. And Penn's Quaker settlement was founded on the idea of tolerance.

Those values could be extended to New England, Mid-Atlantic, and the South too. Although New York was a bit different from PA, having been a Dutch colony. I like the idea that NYC is where the values all mixed. Hard working like New England, Tolerant like Pennsylvania, and Entrepreneurs like the South.

well reading your response somehow brought the idea to me. Great minds think a like is all I can say...

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by Woodchucker

I totally agree and have thought about that idea before, although I'm not sure I would have been able to explain it. Those values are definitely reflected in the original English settlements of each area. Jamestown was a capitalist venture to grow tobacco. Plymouth was a settlement of dutiful religious folk. And Penn's Quaker settlement was founded on the idea of tolerance.

Those values could be extended to New England, Mid-Atlantic, and the South too. Although New York was a bit different from PA, having been a Dutch colony. I like the idea that NYC is where the values all mixed. Hard working like New England, Tolerant like Pennsylvania, and Entrepreneurs like the South.

Also taking this one step further if you look at the cities from these states most dominant at the time (Boston, Philadelphia, and Richmond (and NYC)) there is still a remanant identity that is still manifested even from an economic standpoint

Boston - Insular and Industrious - over performing economically
Philadelphia - Conservative yet tolerant - economically just chugs along
Richmond - More routed in old money to an extent (though in recent times is outshined by NOVA and the DC political influence and never grew industrially like Boston or Philly) more haves and have nots

NYC - took aspects of the three identities and made itself into the world economic/cultural powerhouse (in some ways like America)

CA and Texas may be more recent examples to embrace and exemplify the three ethos aspects (Chicago also to lessor extent and Detroit interestingly missed the culmination of the three in a sense and more mirrors the decline of Richmond in some ways)

Again just a random thought - but interesting to examine and explore

It would be interesting to try and extrapolate the ethos values of these three to modern day cities in some ways

Seattle (60% Boston, 25% Philly, and 15% Richmond)
LA (50% Philly, 25% Boston and 25% Richmond)
SF (40% Boston, 35% Philly, 25% Richmond)
Chicago (45% Philly, 35% Richmond, 20% Boston)

Top of mind without a ton of thought

NYC would probably be the closest to a third a third a third...