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The vast majority of German immigration was to northern states though, esp the Midwest, and certain sections of NY and PA.
Maybe so, but that still doesn't change the fact that the sizeable number of Germans who settled in Texas over 160 years ago identify themselves just as much Texan as any other Texan who can trace their roots there that far back. Different wave of immigrants, but still German. And then there's the Poles and the Czechs.
German beats out English, the traditionally "Southern" ancestry. While I don't discount that English is the traditional ancestry most associated with the South (other than Black), claiming that Germans make up no majority of anywhere in Tennessee is just intellectual dishonesty or complete disregard for the facts. I mean, here we have a city that is unquestionably Southern and German happens to be the most common ancestry.
Even if German was the largest ancestry, I wouldn't take the census too seriously because there's this "American ancestry" that can change everything and Scottish/Scots-Irish ancestry is almost invisible with 3 % and when you know the history of their settlement in the south it's just unbelievable this low percentage.
First you say Pittsburgh is the Midwest. Now you say Germans aren't the main ancestry anywhere in Tennessee. Why did you join this forum if you simply have your own ideas of reality? It's called city DATA for a reason. Here's the DATA to back my claim up:
German beats out English, the traditionally "Southern" ancestry. While I don't discount that English is the traditional ancestry most associated with the South (other than Black), claiming that Germans make up no majority of anywhere in Tennessee is just intellectual dishonesty or complete disregard for the facts. I mean, here we have a city that is unquestionably Southern and German happens to be the most common ancestry.
Do you ever get tired of saying things that aren't true? I feel like you're just a troll, saying things to get a rile out of people.
Also, Kentucky isn't the South because of Germans? Really? If people say that Cincinnati, a very German city has a Southern feel and is more like Kentucky than Ohio, than how could Kentucky not be Southern? I guess all those Kentuckians I've met who consider themselves Southern need to visit the great Craving Mountains to get their card pulled since they must not know what they're talking about.
And you purposefully ommitted the numbers for "American" ancestry, which is almost all composed of Dnglish and Scots-Irish heritage. You put that in the mix and you won't find anywhere in the south that has a German majority.
=eddie gein;37081987]Glad you made it back to this umpteenth discussion on this.
You have taught me well through all these threads and I would like to summarize what you have explained in the past.
1) The majority of Texas was settled by southerners with the western parts of Texas being settled after the war. (Less so in the trans pecos and maybe the northern panhandle).
2) The state government was southern and the laws etc. of both the republic and the state were modeled after more southern customs and traditions.
3) While the terrain, and culture, and economy in west Texas was somewhat different than east Texas, the plains of Texas were southerners adapting to a more "western/arid" environment. Not unlike the Northerners and midwesterners who adopted to a somewhat similar western/arid environment in the northern plains state.
4) While the Mexican/Tejano influence (which may be considered "southwestern") has spread throughout the decades, their influence their numbers and political power were localized in south Texas/San Antonio and the Transpecos/El Paso during the early days of nation and statehood due to many Mexicans returning to Mexico after the loss of Texas.
How'd I do?
I think you did one helluva job! Your summation pretty well cuts right thru the rind into the melon. Incoming rep point.
Maybe so, but that still doesn't change the fact that the sizeable number of Germans who settled in Texas over 160 years ago identify themselves just as much Texan as any other Texan who can trace their roots there that far back. Different wave of immigrants, but still German. And then there's the Poles and the Czechs.
I wonder if those Germans descended people consider Texas "Southern" or its own thing. Only half the people in this poll are saying Texas is full blown Southern. And I bet it is primarily people from East Texas of English and Scots Irish ancestry that are saying Texas is Southern.
I wonder if those Germans descended people consider Texas "Southern" or its own thing. Only half the people in this poll are saying Texas is full blown Southern. And I bet it is primarily people from East Texas of English and Scots Irish ancestry that are saying Texas is Southern.
I bet it must be really difficult to shift your focus away from your cherished stereotypes.
The Germans in Texas, like Germans elsewhere in America, clearly were not pro-confederacy. Does that compromise their Southerness?
I wasn't talking about "Southern" in a civil war era context. I'm talking about the South of 2014. I highly doubt most modern day Southerners hold the same ideals that the Confederacy did back in the 1860's. So, to answer your question... no. I seriously doubt that German Texans revoke their Southern status just because their ancestors didn't support the confederacy 150 years ago.
Why is everyone still so hung up on the civil war on this site?
I lived in Texas for 10 years and IMO, most of Texas is part of southern culture but the further west you go, the more like the soutwest it becomes and then you have the Mexican influence that is not southern. But I think that Texas has its own culture that is an offshoot of southern and many of the people that move there from elsewhere get caught up into it.
Catholics have never been a part of the southern history, so no, Catholics are not southern. The Cajuns in southern Louisiana are a small exception.
Please take a look at a LA parish map. There are 64 between TX, AR and MS. Catholics have never been part of southern history.
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Incoming rep point.
