American Nations

[CrosstimbersOkie]

Very intriguing.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertai ... 11-24.html

[Marc]

Hi, CrosstimbersOkie,

Colin Woodard’s regional/cultural divisions of North America seem to heavily (but not entirely) echo the divisions of North America as outlined by Joel Garreau in his 1981 book, The Nine Nations of North America. Woodard most notably injects new nations into the mid-Atlantic Area (in the Metro New York and Carolinas areas); includes Cajun Louisiana as part of the nation of New France (analogous to Garreau’s nation of Quebec); extends an Appalachian nation clear into parts of Oklahoma and Texas; and creates a defined nation for the Trans-Polar Inuit (Garreau strongly hints at this, but doesn't make it one of his nine nations). Garreau, however, views much of Manhattan, as well as Washington, D.C., as being so consumed with themselves that they each create a kind of mini-nation in his opinion.

Two other mini-nations that I felt that Garreau should have come up with were “Tinseltown” (which would include Hollywood, which would be Tinseltown’s capital, along with ritzy locales such as Beverly Hills, and much of Orange County), as well as what I'll label “The Sunshine Kingdom” (essentially central Florida, with Orlando as its capital). Garreau had Orlando and vicinity in his nation of Dixie, which I feel doesn’t make sense today.

I'm surprised that that video didn’t make mention of Garreau and his book, but then again, today’s media doesn’t always want to pay homage or tribute to the past

But anyways, a very interesting new take on divvying up North America regionally and culturally....Thanks for sharing! —Best regards, Marc