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I've been thinking about this for a bit. I know every part of the United States has a deep history, but I think the South is probably the most interesting part of the country from a historical and cultural standpoint. From the original Virginia colonial period to the human tragedy in the region (African slave trade and plantation economy, the removal of the Five Civilized Tribes, the destruction by the Civil War, Jim Crow, etc...) plus the hospitality and graciousness of the people in spite of all that. So much culture has sprung from there - almost all American music has it roots there - Blues, Jazz, Country, Blue Grass, etc... So much acclaimed literature too. That historical and physical setting seems to lend itself to writing. Last but not least - the food! OMG - I gain ten pounds just thinking about Southern cooking!
I'm not trying to downgrade other parts of the country (my home state has a pretty fascinating history too!) - its just The South has always had this draw for me. It seems like so much of what is good and bad and America is tied up there.
I like Northeast's cultural history better. From the day the Mayflower landed in Plymouth it set a wave of history to follow. You have the pre-colonial days, the growth of Salem, Newport and New Amsterdam in the 1600s. You have the witch trials in Salem finishing off the 1600s. Then you have the Taxes, Tea Tax, Boston Massacre, and growing pains leading up to the Revolutionary War. The Capital flips between the two fast-growing cities of New York and Philadelphia. Mass Bay Colony establishes the first school, university, park and library. Philadelphia becomes a hub of activity and press in the mid 1700s. The Revolutionary War blares off and the Northeast plays vital roles, Delaware Crossing, Battle of Lex/Concord and Morristown just to name a few. All this and then whats going on up in Saratoga Springs. Retreat! Then things get crazy with the French and Indian War... by 1800, we start expanding West. New York City grows rapidly with it becoming the largest port city and establishes the Erie Canal. Newport RI reigns as the country's rich man resort with sprawling mansions. By 1820, Scots and Irishmen are moving to NY and Philly in droves, establishing them as the forefront of the economy. In the mid 1800s, tensions rise and the whole Let Freedom Ring event in 1862. By the 1880s, Italians, Irish, Germans and more are flooding into Ellis Island and settling in Boston, New York and Philadelphia within the Northeast. The Rust Belt grows which extends into the Northeast which becomes a hub of manufacturing. My small hometown of Randolph MA had 3 leather shoe companies and clothing textile factory in it. Economy is thriving. The First Subway comes in 1898 in Boston. Pizza becomes revolutionized in New York in the early 1900s. Alongside the first Baseball game in Hoboken NJ. Now the deep routes of Sports are seen in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and various upstate NY towns.. The leader of the women's right movement was born in Williamstown MA and spend her career advocating for Womens Rights here in New York. During the roaring 20s, Atlantic City becomes the first casino town and coupled with Long Island, Cape Cod/Coastal New England and various Upstate NY hotspots, the roaring 20s vacation spots take off in success. Depression hits, big cities are rocked. Manufacturing returns to big cities during the war. When all set, we now have big families and the suburb gets invented. People flee cities and head to the burbs, the first being Levittown NY. Harlem grows as the new hub for African American culture. Apollo Theatre anyone? The Rust Belts dies, which springs into PA and NY. Cities go through a dark era of decay and rust.... but start to improve by the 1990s. September 11th hits NY and DC, and changes the way of life forever. In all that time we are granted four amazing cities (NYC, Boston, Philadelphia and DC (If you count it north, if not, then 3) ... Many smaller great cities (Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Providence, Baltimore, Portland ME, etc ..) each with their own set of history that shapes every corner. All this while revolutionizing Pizza, Italian Food, Subs/Hoagies, the Cheesesteak, Doughnuts, Clam Chowder, Seafoods, Crabs, etc. Today walking through the NE you are hit with history since 1621.
Location: Appalachian New York, Formerly Louisiana
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I think that collectively the eastern US has the most interesting story. North and south, respectively.
Even in pre-European history, the natives of the east are among the most fascinating and under-represented. The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) were remarkably sophisticated in their governing structure, for example.
I'm interested in the West Coast's history the most. There was a lot of exploration by the British, Spanish, and French Canadians during the early colonial history of the US on the other side of the continent, and we never heard much about it in our history textbooks.
I'm interested in the West Coast's history the most. There was a lot of exploration by the British, Spanish, and French Canadians during the early colonial history of the US on the other side of the continent, and we never heard much about it in our history textbooks.
You mean it's not just Lewis & Clark?
I watch some C-SPAN 'American History TV' most weekends and laugh at my own ignorance. I'm relatively young (certainly relative to the demographic of this forum) and yeah I got essentially no west coast history in school either--or anything substantial enough to make me think I know anything about how history 'actually played out'. The standard narrative is what it is, limited as it must be even though with 180 school days multiplied by however many years you might think to include for 'education' if not 'indoctrination' (4th through 12th?), I mean 1620 days of academic history/social studies in that timeframe has left most citizens unable to pass the citizenship test (2 of 3 natural-born citizens would fail if forced to take it, says top google result)
Anyway, in no way would I consider the South to be the most interesting region of the country, but is it interesting? Yep, 'cause everything psychogeographical (to borrow a term from Guy Debord) is. Most interesting part of the South to me is the Eastern Shore of MD/VA...when I was there maybe 15 years ago, it felt like I took an unwitting trip back to the antebellum South. And I'd just taken a trip with my parents to the unsatisfying collective reenactment that is Williamsburg (I was in high school at the time). The Eastern Shore was far more authentic/anachronistic. But there were no exhibits, just 'living history' of people seeming to carry on a way of life that 'should' not exist in a setting that 'should' not exist, so my tourist-minded parents just wanted to press on to the Boardwalk of Ocean City or wherever the f*ck we were off to. Disappointing, to say the least.
I imagine that if I made it to the Deep South I'd have a different opinion about the most interesting part...could only imagine what the Bayou or Delta region of MS are like, for example. Culture shock might just be too intense for the likes of me.
I like Northeast's cultural history better. From the day the Mayflower landed in Plymouth it set a wave of history to follow. You have the pre-colonial days, the growth of Salem, Newport and New Amsterdam in the 1600s. You have the witch trials in Salem finishing off the 1600s. Then you have the Taxes, Tea Tax, Boston Massacre, and growing pains leading up to the Revolutionary War. The Capital flips between the two fast-growing cities of New York and Philadelphia. Mass Bay Colony establishes the first school, university, park and library. Philadelphia becomes a hub of activity and press in the mid 1700s. The Revolutionary War blares off and the Northeast plays vital roles, Delaware Crossing, Battle of Lex/Concord and Morristown just to name a few. All this and then whats going on up in Saratoga Springs. Retreat! Then things get crazy with the French and Indian War... by 1800, we start expanding West. New York City grows rapidly with it becoming the largest port city and establishes the Erie Canal. Newport RI reigns as the country's rich man resort with sprawling mansions. By 1820, Scots and Irishmen are moving to NY and Philly in droves, establishing them as the forefront of the economy. In the mid 1800s, tensions rise and the whole Let Freedom Ring event in 1862. By the 1880s, Italians, Irish, Germans and more are flooding into Ellis Island and settling in Boston, New York and Philadelphia within the Northeast. The Rust Belt grows which extends into the Northeast which becomes a hub of manufacturing. My small hometown of Randolph MA had 3 leather shoe companies and clothing textile factory in it. Economy is thriving. The First Subway comes in 1898 in Boston. Pizza becomes revolutionized in New York in the early 1900s. Alongside the first Baseball game in Hoboken NJ. Now the deep routes of Sports are seen in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and various upstate NY towns.. The leader of the women's right movement was born in Williamstown MA and spend her career advocating for Womens Rights here in New York. During the roaring 20s, Atlantic City becomes the first casino town and coupled with Long Island, Cape Cod/Coastal New England and various Upstate NY hotspots, the roaring 20s vacation spots take off in success. Depression hits, big cities are rocked. Manufacturing returns to big cities during the war. When all set, we now have big families and the suburb gets invented. People flee cities and head to the burbs, the first being Levittown NY. Harlem grows as the new hub for African American culture. Apollo Theatre anyone? The Rust Belts dies, which springs into PA and NY. Cities go through a dark era of decay and rust.... but start to improve by the 1990s. September 11th hits NY and DC, and changes the way of life forever. In all that time we are granted four amazing cities (NYC, Boston, Philadelphia and DC (If you count it north, if not, then 3) ... Many smaller great cities (Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Providence, Baltimore, Portland ME, etc ..) each with their own set of history that shapes every corner. All this while revolutionizing Pizza, Italian Food, Subs/Hoagies, the Cheesesteak, Doughnuts, Clam Chowder, Seafoods, Crabs, etc. Today walking through the NE you are hit with history since 1621.
My 0.02.
As I mentioned in my prior post, I like watching C-SPAN on weekends, and thanks to that something-approximating-a-habit, I can tell you that your chronology is off here...would I have remembered that the French & Indian War was waged from 1754-1763 had I not just watched a couple lectures earlier today? Nope. I might've believed you, just thought it was the preface to the War of 1812...I do respect what you intended to do here though, condense 400 years into a single paragraph. Cheers
Hence why I said in my own post that I watch C-SPAN and laugh at my own ignorance.
It’s fine if people have a preference for their favorite region. As a native southerner who’s lived in three southern states, it seems to me a lot of people romanticize the south into something it isn’t.
I like Northeast's cultural history better. From the day the Mayflower landed in Plymouth it set a wave of history to follow. You have the pre-colonial days, the growth of Salem, Newport and New Amsterdam in the 1600s. You have the witch trials in Salem finishing off the 1600s. Then you have the Taxes, Tea Tax, Boston Massacre, and growing pains leading up to the Revolutionary War. The Capital flips between the two fast-growing cities of New York and Philadelphia. Mass Bay Colony establishes the first school, university, park and library. Philadelphia becomes a hub of activity and press in the mid 1700s. The Revolutionary War blares off and the Northeast plays vital roles, Delaware Crossing, Battle of Lex/Concord and Morristown just to name a few. All this and then whats going on up in Saratoga Springs. Retreat! Then things get crazy with the French and Indian War... by 1800, we start expanding West. New York City grows rapidly with it becoming the largest port city and establishes the Erie Canal. Newport RI reigns as the country's rich man resort with sprawling mansions. By 1820, Scots and Irishmen are moving to NY and Philly in droves, establishing them as the forefront of the economy. In the mid 1800s, tensions rise and the whole Let Freedom Ring event in 1862. By the 1880s, Italians, Irish, Germans and more are flooding into Ellis Island and settling in Boston, New York and Philadelphia within the Northeast. The Rust Belt grows which extends into the Northeast which becomes a hub of manufacturing. My small hometown of Randolph MA had 3 leather shoe companies and clothing textile factory in it. Economy is thriving. The First Subway comes in 1898 in Boston. Pizza becomes revolutionized in New York in the early 1900s. Alongside the first Baseball game in Hoboken NJ. Now the deep routes of Sports are seen in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and various upstate NY towns.. The leader of the women's right movement was born in Williamstown MA and spend her career advocating for Womens Rights here in New York. During the roaring 20s, Atlantic City becomes the first casino town and coupled with Long Island, Cape Cod/Coastal New England and various Upstate NY hotspots, the roaring 20s vacation spots take off in success. Depression hits, big cities are rocked. Manufacturing returns to big cities during the war. When all set, we now have big families and the suburb gets invented. People flee cities and head to the burbs, the first being Levittown NY. Harlem grows as the new hub for African American culture. Apollo Theatre anyone? The Rust Belts dies, which springs into PA and NY. Cities go through a dark era of decay and rust.... but start to improve by the 1990s. September 11th hits NY and DC, and changes the way of life forever. In all that time we are granted four amazing cities (NYC, Boston, Philadelphia and DC (If you count it north, if not, then 3) ... Many smaller great cities (Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Providence, Baltimore, Portland ME, etc ..) each with their own set of history that shapes every corner. All this while revolutionizing Pizza, Italian Food, Subs/Hoagies, the Cheesesteak, Doughnuts, Clam Chowder, Seafoods, Crabs, etc. Today walking through the NE you are hit with history since 1621.
I got spoiled to American history and being surrounded by it when I was a kid living in Virginia, in the Tidewater region. Wow, talk about inspiring! I have loved American history since then.
My favorite area for history is probably Virginia, though I did enjoy visiting the historical sites around Boston, Concord, Salem, etc. Still...that Historic Triangle area in Virginia is hard to beat.
I have also really loved touring the plantations along River Road in south Louisiana. And of course, now that I live in Texas, I find Texas history to be very intriguing as well.
I spent ten years in NW Georgia and I like that area but I'm not as interested in Civil War history as I am the Revolutionary War and earlier. I have ancestors who lived in Virginia - one who served in the House of Burgesses, one who built Jamestown and was an architect for Yorktown, etc. - so I'm really drawn to that area. In addition to living there as a kid, I've visited there over and over again as an adult. Virginia is actually my favorite state, with Texas coming in second, Georgia third, and Louisiana fourth. Maryland for fifth and Ohio gets an honorable mention. Ohio's history is actually very interesting, and I love Ohio cities, but I don't care much for the longer winters.
Maybe because I grew up in the South (VA) but I find it to be repetitive. We know about the South and its racism, Jim Crow laws, segregation, etc. I've always found the North's history to be more interesting and less insular and it's also not taught in schools the same way the South's history is.
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