What is the South?

[GirlySports]

Leaving out the obvious states, I'm curious what y'all think of as The South.

Categorize the following as south or not south: Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma.

This was inspired by this article at 538 that seemed shocked that Maryland wasn't considered southern by folks in The South.

[Fuzz]

I thought this search would bring up a nice map to show the southern states, but I guess it's not as clear cut as I thought:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin...tates_by_state

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Baltimore is a neighbouring city of Washington, DC

I don't see how that'd be considered south.

That said, a quick Google search shows that Maryland is below the Mason-Dixon line which is the general north-south divide.

I guess in my mind Virginia and West-Virginia are not south, but Kentucky is. But I have no rhyme or reason for that. Maybe it's that George Washington was from Virginia and I don't think of him as southern (by extension if Virginia isn't southern then neither is West Virginia).

Regardless, I'm Canadian, unless you're from Alaska, they're all Southerners

[FireGilbert]

I believe there are two definitions:

The Mason-Dixon line:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason%E2%80%93Dixon_line

This has Delaware in the North but the other states in the South.

Parallel 36°30′ north (the Missouri compromise line): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parall...E2%80%B2_north

This has Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky in the north with the other states in the south.

[ResAlien]

Maryland - No
Delaware - No
Virginia - Parts of it
West Virginia - Mostly
Kentucky -Yup
Tennessee- Yup
Arkansas - Yup
Texas - No. Texas is its own special monster
Florida - The northern part
Oklahoma - No

[GGG]

South of Anderson Rd

Weather is warmer and has less snow

[phiten]

This is a fairly complex thing to discuss...but I have spent a lot of time living all throughout the United States---so here is my take..

The South essentially represents places that flew, or still fly the confederate flag. Moreless we are talking about these states Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

If you want to talk about Southern culture--- you can include states such as Kentucky, Texas, Florida, West VA, Etc....

But what you are talking about "the south" is a loose term---there really isn't a border

[driveway]

Historical perspective:

Maryland, Delaware were both slave states who stuck with the Union; likewise Kentucky and Missouri. West Virginia was the part of Virginia which favoured the Union, breaking away from Confederate Virginia in 1861, was admitted to the Union in 1863.

Oklahoma was Indian territory at the time, while the rest of the States listed were Confederate.


Ultimately, I feel there is an obvious, final arbiter of what is, and is not "the South."

Spoiler!

Clearly, West Virginia, Missouri, Virginia and half of Kentucky are NOT the South. Florida, however, is, apart from the area around Miami, as is most of Oklahoma. Texas is maybe the Southest place that ever Southed.

North Carolina and - interestingly - New Mexico are profoundly confused places who should probably go talk to a professional.

[troutman]

The universe is shaped exactly like the earth
If you go straight long enough you'll end up where you were.

[Yanda]

Anything south of Glenmore Trail

[Sliver]

Can't read the OP, but I'm presuming she's referring more to the "cultural south". Wikipedia pretty much covers it here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_United_States.

[Party Elephant]

A national park ranger in Virginia described his accent to me as a southern accent, so I consider Virginia in the south.

[Lanny_McDonald]

To most Americans, the south is those States who were involved in the Confederacy. That would include Florida, Geordia, South & South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia/West Virginia. Some states start to fall off that list as they become more metropolitan. I think Florida, Texas and Virginia are all quasi-south now. Interestingly enough, West Virginia was established because they no longer supported the South, even though I would argue they are more south than Virginia is today. Richmond, Virginia, was the capital of the "south" at one point. A really cool bit of history about the south and the Civil War, General Robert E. Lee had to forfeit all of his lands at the conclusion of the war. Those lands became Arlington National Cemetery, one of the most hallowed places in the United States.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Yanda

Anything south of Glenmore Trail

That's deep south silly, south of Memorial Dr is south.

[habernac]

Worked in Virginia in 2003, definitely part of the south.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by New Era

To most Americans, the south is those States who were involved in the Confederacy. That would include Florida, Geordia, South & South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia/West Virginia. Some states start to fall off that list as they become more metropolitan. I think Florida, Texas and Virginia are all quasi-south now. Interestingly enough, West Virginia was established because they no longer supported the South, even though I would argue they are more south than Virginia is today. Richmond, Virginia, was the capital of the "south" at one point. A really cool bit of history about the south and the Civil War, General Robert E. Lee had to forfeit all of his lands at the conclusion of the war. Those lands became Arlington National Cemetery, one of the most hallowed places in the United States.

Map

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by GGG

South of Anderson Rd

Weather is warmer and has less snow

I find there's a lot more pickup trucks once you go south of there. Same with Deerfoot, once you go south of Douglasdale it feels like everyone's in a truck. I think you're onto something..

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

Baltimore is a neighbouring city of Washington, DC

I don't see how that'd be considered south.

As already noted, Maryland was a slave state, which would form part of that opinion. Also, if one wants to look literally, Maryland is also one of the six most southern of the original 13 colonies. Though I would have expected most southerners would have begun to exclude it when it sided with the union in the War of Northern Aggression.

[_Q_]

Defining "The South" in 2016 based on a war from the 1800s seems rather silly.

I don't care which side Maryland was on in the war, they most definitely are not part of The South these days. Maryland might be the most solidly blue state in the United States now. I was in Washington DC last weekend and this discussion came up briefly in one of my conversations there. The guy I was talking to said "even though we're south of the Mason Dixon line, the South doesn't really start until you get to Richmond".

Similarly, Northern Florida is most definitely part of The South. South Florida (probably starting at Orlando) most definitely is not.

[aaronck]

For me these guys are the South-all their songs are like a glimpse into life in the South, both good and bad.