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There is a massive difference in the age of the communities and the development of local culture.
Many eastern cities date back to the 1600's. My hometown in north Iowa was incorporated in 1894. That same year, my great great grandfather came over from Germany and broke 160 acres of virgin prairie.
The east has been settled and established for centuries in places. Large chunks of the Midwest (especially west of the Mississippi) only go back 4 or 5 generations. Many of those states weren't fully settled until 40-50 years after statehood too.
There is a massive difference in the age of the communities and the development of local culture.
Many eastern cities date back to the 1600's. My hometown in north Iowa was incorporated in 1894. That same year, my great great grandfather came over from Germany and broke 160 acres of virgin prairie.
The east has been settled and established for centuries in places. Large chunks of the Midwest (especially west of the Mississippi) only go back 4 or 5 generations. Many of those states weren't fully settled until 40-50 years after statehood too.
You could say the same thing about immigrants in the northeast as well. Most Midwesterners can trace their roots to the north east.
You could say the same thing about immigrants in the northeast as well. Most Midwesterners can trace their roots to the north east.
Where I grew up nearly everyone could trace their roots back to Europe without much stop in the northeast. Same with people I know in Minnesota and the Dakotas too.
In the northeast, the immigrants arrived to existing communities and added to what was already started. In the Midwest (at least west of the Mississippi), most of the communities were either started by or quickly dominated by people immigrating directly from Europe, as opposed to people already living in the eastern US who moved west.
Where I grew up nearly everyone could trace their roots back to Europe without much stop in the northeast. Same with people I know in Minnesota and the Dakotas too.
In the northeast, the immigrants arrived to existing communities and added to what was already started. In the Midwest (at least west of the Mississippi), most of the communities were either started by or quickly dominated by people immigrating directly from Europe, as opposed to people already living in the eastern US who moved west.
Most people in the Midwest just aren't aware of their northeastern roots. I traced my roots back to Norway and Germany. I also traced my roots back to the northeast/New England as well. The midwest was originally settled by northeasterners. It's just most people only claim or know of their immigrant ancestry. I bet if you were to trace your ancestry, you would finds ancestors that migrated to the midwest from the northeast. Minnesota was originally settled by New Englanders.
Most people in the Midwest just aren't aware of their northeastern roots. I traced my roots back to Norway and Germany. I also traced my roots back to the northeast/New England as well. The midwest was originally settled by northeasterners. It's just most people only claim or know of their immigrant ancestry. I bet if you were to trace your ancestry, you would finds ancestors that migrated to the midwest from the northeast. Minnesota was originally settled by New Englanders.
At one point, there were so many ex-New Yorkers living in the state of Michigan that they were affectionately and, in some cases, pejoratively referred to as "York Staters." Of course, many of those "York Staters" came from families that had originated in New England only one or two generations earlier, since the settlement of central and western New York occurred around the same time as the settlement of the Northwest Territory. Some New England families found respite in New York before continuing on to the Midwest, which is what Joseph Smith did, I believe. That is the reason why the American English accent spoken in Vermont and western Massachusetts is very similar to the accents spoken in much of Upstate New York and the Upper Midwest. Former North Adams, Massachusetts mayor, Richard (Dick) J. Alcombright, and former Pittsfield, Massachusetts mayor, James (Jim) Ruberto, are excellent examples of the (relatively unknown) Western New England accent.
Most people in the Midwest just aren't aware of their northeastern roots. I traced my roots back to Norway and Germany. I also traced my roots back to the northeast/New England as well. The midwest was originally settled by northeasterners. It's just most people only claim or know of their immigrant ancestry. I bet if you were to trace your ancestry, you would finds ancestors that migrated to the midwest from the northeast. Minnesota was originally settled by New Englanders.
4 of my 8 great grandparents were born in Europe, and the 4 born in North America were children of immigrants.
My county was originally settled by New Englanders in about 1855. They started a couple of towns, and a few farms, and a large chunk of the county laid fallow for another 40 years.
My ancestors on my dad's side all came straight from Germany between 1880 and 1913. The original settlers of the community I grew up in were all German immigrants. Their only stop in the northeast was to get off the boat at Ellis Island. My grandparents grew up speaking German in the home and most people in the community did socially until World War 2. When I was a child in the late 80's/early 90's, many of the old men still had a noticeable German accent.
Much of the Midwest, to this day, is far more influenced by the European ancestry of the residents than it is by the original settlers from New England, who were quickly outnumbered by European immigrants. This is evident in accents, religious affiliations, and customs that still exist today. Minnesota might have been originally settled by New Englanders, but they were absolutely displaced as the dominant culture by Scandinavians and Germans quickly.
Good post, except you forgot somebody important. First, there were the Dutch. Well, at least in what became our largest city and the state in which it lies, as well as the one immediately to the west. There were English further up the coast, and then some Irish moseyed along, but Italians and Eastern Europeans didn't show up until about a hundred years ago.
Just thought it should be mentioned because Nieuw Amsterdam in particular and New Netherlands overall greatly influenced the United States Constitution, although much of that information has been lost to general historical knowledge.
There are still Dutch structures and place names all over the northeast. A dialect called Jersey Dutch, a mix of Dutch, English, and native languages survived into the early 20th century in southern NY and northern NJ.
As well as the western half of Michigan.
Holland, MI has a tulip festival!
My FIL's family were early settlers of Wiltwijck (Kingston, NY) and moved to south central Michigan in the 1850s-ish near Brooklyn
4 of my 8 great grandparents were born in Europe, and the 4 born in North America were children of immigrants.
My county was originally settled by New Englanders in about 1855. They started a couple of towns, and a few farms, and a large chunk of the county laid fallow for another 40 years.
My ancestors on my dad's side all came straight from Germany between 1880 and 1913. The original settlers of the community I grew up in were all German immigrants. Their only stop in the northeast was to get off the boat at Ellis Island. My grandparents grew up speaking German in the home and most people in the community did socially until World War 2. When I was a child in the late 80's/early 90's, many of the old men still had a noticeable German accent.
Much of the Midwest, to this day, is far more influenced by the European ancestry of the residents than it is by the original settlers from New England, who were quickly outnumbered by European immigrants. This is evident in accents, religious affiliations, and customs that still exist today. Minnesota might have been originally settled by New Englanders, but they were absolutely displaced as the dominant culture by Scandinavians and Germans quickly.
How is this different from northeasterners who are of primarily immigrant ancestry? These immigrants greatly influenced what we know as northeastern culture today. The northeast and Midwest were both shaped primarily by immigrants.
How is this different from northeasterners who are of primarily immigration ancestry? These immigrants greatly influenced what we know as northeastern culture today.
The difference is the percentages and amount of influence their respective cultures have in their communities.
In the northeast you saw immigrants join well established communities with several centuries of roots. It created a unique stew of a culture. In the Midwest you have communities that were either started by, or very early in their existence, over taken by a specific group of European immigrants. They weren't adding a new ingredient to an established culture so much as starting a new one.
There's a very different feel to the old, established cities of the northeast with 4 centuries of history and a rich and diverse mix of cultures behind them compared to midwestern cities with 1.5 centuries of history and a couple of dominant cultures.
The difference is the percentages and amount of influence their respective cultures have in their communities.
In the northeast you saw immigrants join well established communities with several centuries of roots. It created a unique stew of a culture. In the Midwest you have communities that were either started by, or very early in their existence, over taken by a specific group of European immigrants. They weren't adding a new ingredient to an established culture so much as starting a new one.
There's a very different feel to the old, established cities of the northeast with 4 centuries of history and a rich and diverse mix of cultures behind them compared to midwestern cities with 1.5 centuries of history and a couple of dominant cultures.
But you could say that the midwest is just a newer extension of the north. European influence is a northern characteristic. The North Eastern cultures and accents are heavily influenced by European immigrants.
Last edited by Kaszilla; 01-10-2023 at 10:14 AM..
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