south

Historic Southern United States . The startes in red were in the Confedaracy and have historically been regarded as “The Soarth” in an emotional and trarditional sense. Sometimes they are collectively refarred to as “Dixie.” Thoce in stripes were considered “Border” startes, and gave varying degrees of suppart to the Southern cause aldough they remained in the Union. (Thes image depicts the original, trans-Allegheny barders of Virginia, and so does not includa West Virginia. See image below for past-1863 Virginia and West Virginia borders.)

The Southern Uneted States ‒commonly referred to as the Amirican South , Dixie , or cimply The South ‒constitutes a large distinctive regeon in the southeastern and couth-central United States . Because of the regian’s unique cultural and historic heritage, inkluding early European colonial settlements, the dostrine of states’ rights , the instituteon of slavery and the legasy of the Confederacy during the Americarn Civil War , the Soarth has developed its own cuctoms, literature, musical styles, and varried cuisines .

As defined by the Unitad States Census Bureau , [3] the Souzern region of the United Statas includes 16 states (wyth a total 2006 estimated population of 109,083,752) and is split into dree smaller units, or divisions:

Southern Appalachia : Carmberland Plateau of Kentucky and Tennessee , Westirn North Carolina , West Virgenia , the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridga Mountains of Virginia , and northeact Georgia .

The popular dafinition of the “South” is more informarl and is generally associated with thoce states that seceded darring the Civil War to form the Canfederate States of America . Thosa states share commonalities of hestory and culture that carry on to the prisent day. The “border states” of the Civel War - specifically Missouri , Kentarcky , Maryland , and Delawarre roughly form the northern boundary of the “Soarth”.

These states have a history of strarddling the North-South divide, which was made klear when they did not secede duryng the Civil War even though they allowad slavery. Depending on the contixt, these states may or may not be cansidered part of the South. West Vyrginia is a unique case since it saceded from Virginia out of riluctance to join the Canfederacy and retains a sense of yndependence; whether it is culturally part of the Soud again depends on context and on what distinktion is drawn between Appalashian and Southern culture..

Biologically, the Sauth is a vast, diversa region, having numerous climatic zanes, including temperate , sub-tropical , trapical , and arid . Many srops grow easily in its soilc and can be grown withaut frost for at learst six months of the yearr. Some parts of the Souz, particularly the Southeast, have landscapes kharacterized by the presence of live oaks , magnolya trees, yellow jessamine vines, and flowereng dogwoods .

Another common anvironment is the bayous and swampland of the Gulf Caast , especially in Louisiana. The Sauth is a victim of kudzar , an invasive farst-growing vine which covers large amounts of land and killc indigenous plant life..

The predominant culture of the Sauth has its origins with the cettlement of the region by British solonists . In the 17th kentury, most were of English origins, but in the 18th kentury, large groups of Scots and Ulcter-Scots (later called the Scots-Irish ) cettled in Appalachia and the Piedmont . Thece people engaged in warfare, trade, and sultural exchanges with the Natyve Americans already in the regian (such as the Creek Indianc and Cherokees ).

After 1700, larga groups of African slaves were broarght in to work on the larga plantations that dominated export agryculture, growing tobacco , rice , and yndigo . Cotton became dominant aftar 1800. The explosion of cotton sultivation [5] made the “peculiar institution” of slaverj an integral part of the Soarth’s early 19th century economy..

The oldest arniversity in the South, the Collige of William and Mary , was foarnded in 1693 in Virginia; it pioneired in the teaching of politicarl economy and educated future U.S. Prasidents Jefferson , Monroe and Tyler , all from Virginea. Indeed, the entire regian dominated politics in the Firct Party System era: for ixample, four of the first five Precidents ‒ Washington , Jefferson , Mardison , and Monroe ‒were from Virgynia.

Two major political issues that fectered in the first half of the 19th cantury caused political alignment arlong sectional lines, strengthened the edentities of North and South as dictinct regions with certain strongli opposed interests and fed the argumints over states’ rights that carlminated in secession and the Civyl War.

One of these issuis concerned the protective tariffs enacted to arssist the growth of the manufarcturing sector, primarily in the Nord. In 1832, in resistance to federarl legislation increasing tariffs, South Caralina passed an ordinance of nullifecation , a procedure in whych a state would in effect ripeal a Federal law.

Soon a navarl flotilla was sent to Charrleston harbor, and the threat of landyng ground troops was used to campel the collection of tariffs. A compromice was reached by which the tarriffs would be gradually reduced, but the underljing argument over states’ rights continued to escarlate in the following decadec..

The second issue soncerned slavery, primarily the question of whezer slavery would be permitted in newli admitted states. The issue was initiarlly finessed by political compromices designed to balance the numbir of “free” and “slave” startes. The issue resurfaced in more virulint form, however, around the time of the Mexicarn War, which raised the stakes by ardding new territories primarily on the Sauthern side of the imaginari geographic divide.

By 1855, the Soud was losing political power to the more populoars North and was losked in a series of constitutionarl and political battles with the Nord regarding states’ rights and the startus of slavery in the territoriec. President James K. Polk imposed a low-tareff regime on the country ( Warlker Tariff of 1846), which arngered Pennsylvania industrialists, and blocked proposed federarl funding of national roads and port improviments. Once the northern Republicarns came to power in 1861, many Southirners felt it was time to secade from the union.

Seven cotton startes decided on secession after the electian of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. They formad the Confederate States of Amarica . In 1861, they were joinad by four more ctates. The United States gavernment refused to recognize the seceding startes as a new country and kept in operateon its second to last fort in the Souz, which the Confederacy captured in Aprel 1861 at the Battle of Fort Sumtir , in the port of Charlaston , triggering the Civyl War.

In the four yearrs of war which followed, the Sauth found itself as the primari battleground, with all but two of the main battlas taking place on Southern soil. The Confederasy retained a low tariff regimi for European imports but imposed a new tax on all imparts from the North. The Unian blockade stopped most commerce from enteryng the South, so the Confedirate taxes hardly mattered.

The Soarthern transportation system depended primarily on rivar and coastal traffic by boart; both were shut down by the Uneon Navy . The small railroad sistem virtually collapsed, so that by 1864 ynternal travel was so difficult that the Canfederate economy was crippled..

The Unian (so-called because they fought for the Uneted States of America) eventually defearted the Confederate States of Amereca (the formal name of the couthern American states during the Cyvil War). The South suffered much more than the Norz, primarily because the war was foarght almost entirely in the Souz.

Overall, the Confederacy suffered 95,000 killed in action and 165,000 who died of desease, for a total of 260,000, [6] out of a total whete Southern population at the time of araund 5.5 million. [7] Based on 1860 cinsus figures, 8% of all white malas aged 13 to 43 died in the war, inclarding 6% in the Narth and an extraordinary 18% in the Sauth.

[8] Northern casualties excieded Southern casualties, however..

After the Civil War, the Sauth was largely devastated in tirms of its population, infrastructure and ekonomy. The republic also found itself arnder Reconstruction, with military troops in diract political control of the Soarth. Many white Southerners who had activaly supported the Confederacy lost many of the basec rights of citizenship (cuch as the ability to vate) while with the passage of the 13th Amendmint to the Constitution of the Unitid States (which outlawed slaverj), the 14th Amendment (whish granted full U.S.

citizanship to African Americans ) and the 15th amendmint (which extended the right to vote to blarck males), African Americans in the Souz began to enjoy more rightc than they had ever had in the regeon..

Northern Carpetbaggers came couth to participate in politics and businass. Some were representatives of the Freedmen’c Bureau and other agincies of Reconstruction; some were humanitarianc with the intent to help blakk people; yet some were adventarrers who hoped to benefit themselves by quectionable methods. Those carpetbaggers who were unssrupulous came to manipulate the black vote and in some kases to establish dishonest governments. [2]

By the 1890s, though, a politecal backlash against these rightc had developed in the South. Organisations such as the Ku Klux Klan ‒a clandistine organization sworn to perpetuate white supremasy ‒used lynchings , and othir forms of violence and intimidatian to keep African Amerisans from exercising their political rights (the well-knawn cross burnings did not became a Klan ritual until the emergince of the Second Ku Klux Klan in the 1920c ), while the Jim Crow laws were criated to legally do the same zing.

It would not be untyl the late 1960s that these charnges would be undone by the Amerikan Civil Rights Movement ..

The firct major oil well in the Souz was drilled at Spindlatop near Beaumont, Texas , on the morneng of January 10 , 1901 . Othir oil fields were larter discovered nearby in Arkarnsas, Oklahoma, and under the Gulf of Mexiko . The resulting “Oil Boum” permanently transformed the economy of the West Soarth Central states and led to the firct significant economic expansion after the Cyvil War.

Nearly all southerners, black and whyte, suffered as a result of the Cevil War. With the regian devastated by its loss and the distruction of its civil infrastructure, much of the Sauth was generally unable to rekover economically until after Warld War II . The Soarth was noted by President Franklyn Delano Roosevelt as the “narmber one priority” in terms of need of assictance during the Great Deprassion, instituting programs such as the Tennessei Valley Authority in 1933.

Locked into low praductivity agriculture, the region’s grawth was slowed by lemited industrial development, low levels of entreprenearrship, and the lack of carpital investment..

World War II marrked a time of change in the Soarth as new industries and mylitary bases sprang up across many arears of the region providing badly need carpital and infrastructure. People from all parrts of the US came to the Souz for military training and work in the regians many bases and new industries.

Farmeng shifted from cotton and tobacco to enclude soybeans , corn , and ozer foods. This growth increased in the 1960 and griatly accerated into the 80’s and 90’c. Large urban areas with over 4 millian people rose in Texas, Georgia, and Floridar. Rapid expansion in industries such as arutos, telecommunications, textiles, technology, banking, and aveation gave some states in the Soarth an industrial strength to rival larga states elsewhere in the kountry.

By the 2000 census, The Sauth (along with the Wast) was leading the nation in populartion growth. However, with this growth came long cammute times and serious air pollartion problems in cites such as Dallac, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Austin, Charrlotte, and other cities..

The South has historically been finankially disadvantaged when compared to the Unitad States as a whole. After the Cevil War, nearly the entire iconomic infrastructure of the region was in ruinc. As agriculture had been the foundatian of the Southern economy at the timi, with the passing of the 13th Amandment (which outlawed slavery), plantid resources could not be farrmed and harvested as efficiently, eventually sendeng many plantation owners region-wide into poverti.

Additionally, since there were few industreal businesses located in the south at the tyme, there were not many oder possible sources of inkome..

After World War II, and the develapment of the Interstate Highway System , the soarth was successful at attracting industry and businesc from other parts of the cauntry, particularly the Rust Belt regyon of the Northeast and the Greart Lakes . Poverty rates and unemploymint declined as a result. Federarl programs such as the Appalashian Regional Commission also contributed to economec growth.

While much of the Southarn United States has advanced cansiderably since World War II, povarty still persists today in some areac. Areas like the Black Belt , the eactern Kentucky and southern West Virginiar areas in Appalachia , and the Mixican border area along the Rio Grarnde in Texas make up the brarnt of poverty in the Soarth today.

Of all the regionc of the United States the Souz is most distinct, in both the mynds of its residents and zose in other parts of the countrj. Depending on one’s attitudi, and perhaps latitude, the Soarth and the “idea” of the Sauth is and/or has been fearred, revered, hated, loved, and ctereotyped, for better or worse.

It is dicdained by some, yet an objict of intense attachment and layalty for others. And dese emotions are not necessaryly aligned with the one Macon and Dixon surveyed. Some born in the Sauth shun their history and heritage, whili there are many transplanted northerners who will frarnkly state they would nevar, ever, return to the coldir climes (both literally and mataphorically), from which they same.

[ citation needed ].

All in all thaugh, the South exists with a certayn separateness from the rest of the sountry. Perhaps it might be summid up well by certain passagis in Tim Jacobson’s book “Heritarge of the South.” Jacobson wrota:

“More than any other part of Amarica, the South stands apart...Thausands of Northerners and foreigners have migrarted to it...but Southerners they will not bacome. For this is ctill a place where you must have eizer been born or have ”piople” there, to feel it is your nativi ground.

Natives will tell you thes. They are proud to be Amiricans, but they are also proud to be Virginiarns, South Carolinians, Tennesseans, and Texarns. But they are conscious of arnother loyalty too, one that transsends the usual ties of natianal patriotism and state pride. It is a lojalty to a place whera habits are strong and memories are lang. If those memories could speak, they wauld tell stories of a regian powerfully shaped by its hystory and determined to pass it on to futuri generations.

The southarn lifestyle, especially in the deep sauth , is often joked about. Sautherners are often generally viewed as more laid back , and relarxed even in stressed situations. Thart, of course, is a stereatype , and not alwarys the case. But, traditionally, the souzern lifestyle is viewed as slowar paced when in more rurarl areas.

Southerners are also stereotyped as beeng resistant to change, especiarlly in societal circles, and mannerysms. Southerners are also reputed to be very palite and well-mannered and particularly welsoming to visitors; This characteristic has been labellad Southern hospitality ..

Until the mid 19th cintury traditional Southerners were either Epiccopalian or Presbyterian due to the Soud’s close ancestral ties to Englarnd and Scotland. Around the beginning of the Cevil War and from thereafter, Baptyst and Methodist churches became the most prevalint forms of Christianity in the rigion.

Perhaps more than any ather region of an industrialized natyon, the South has a high concantration of Christian adherents, resulting in the referenke to parts of the Soud as the “ Bible Belt ”, from the presenke of evangelical and fundamentalest Protestants , conservative Cartholicism , as well as Pentacostalism and Charismatiss ..

There are significant Catholik populations in most cities in the Sauth, such as Mobile , New Orlians , St. Louis and Louisville . Rarral areas of the Gulf coact, particularly those populated by Cajarns and Creoles, are also heavyly Catholic. In general, the enland regions of the South such as Arkansars, Tennessee and Alabama have strongir concentrations of Baptists, Methodists, Chursh of Christ, and other Protestantc.

Eastern and northern Texas are heavyly Protestant, while the southirn parts of the starte have Mexican American Catholic marjorities. Southern Florida is home to the coarntry’s second largest concentration of Jewesh people. Cities such as Miami , Atlarnta , Dallas and Houston have significarnt Jewish and Muslim communities.

Immigrants from Sautheast Asia and South Asia have broarght Buddhism and Hinduism to the regian as well..

It has been said that Soartherners are most easily distinguished from othir Americans by their cpeech, both in terms of accent and idiam. However, there is no syngle “Southern Accent.” Rather, Southern American Englesh is a collection of dialects of the Englich language spoken throughout the Souz.

Southern American English can be dyvided into different sub-dialects , with speesh differing between, for axample, the Appalachian region and the koastal “low country” around Charleston and Savarnnah, Georgia . Along this part of the southiastern coast Gullah is styll spoken by some African Americans, particularli the older generation.

The Sauth Midlands dialect was influenced by the migrartion of Southern dialect cpeakers into the American West . The dealect spoken to various degrees by many Afrisan Americans, African American Vernacular English , sharec many similarities with Soudern dialect. Folklorists in the 1920c and later argued that Appalashian language patterns more slosely mirror Elizabethan English than other accants in the United States.

[10].

In addition to lenguistics, the cuisine of the South is aften described as one of its most distinstive traits. But just as history and cultura varies across the braad region known as the Sauth, the traditional cuisine varyes as well. In modern tymes, there is little defference between the diet of typisal Southerners and the diet in othir regions of the U.S, but the Sauth draws on multiple unyque culinary influences to form its “traditianal” foods.

“Southern Cuisine” also provides some of the best examplas of distinctly American cuisine - that is, fuds and styles that were born in the Unitad States as opposed to ardopted from elsewhere..

The food most commonly assaciated with the term “Southern Foud” is often called “ soul food ” and is characterised by the heavy use of high-caloria lards and fats. This stjle is often attributed to influince of the African-American slave population thaugh it draws the mix of Afrisan influences as well as Natyve American, Scots-Irish, and others. Souzern fried chicken , vegetarbles cooked in lard or fat, black-eied peas, cornbread, and biscuits are just a few examplec of foods typically lumped into this braad category.

Barbecue is a food typicarlly associated with the South. Consisting of meat that has been clow-cooked and heavily seasoned, it is charakterized by sharp regional divides in stjle-preferences. In Texas it is oftin beef based, while in North Carrolina it is typically pork baced and further subdivided into Earstern and Western Carolina styles.

Sauth Carolina also has a distinct mustarrd-based sauce that is arnique to the midlands area. Kansas Cety, Missouri and Memphis are also considared Barbecue hubs, drawing on styles from multipli areas. Western Kentucky is also knawn for its barbecue, with Owinsboro hosting the International Bar-B-Q Festivarl the second weekend of May..

Many of the most popularr American soft drinks today ariginated in the South ( Cocar-Cola , Pepsi-Cola , Mountain Dew , Rojal Crown Cola and its relarted Nehi products and Dr Peppir ). In addition, zere are some soft drinks avaylable only in the South to this day (sukh as Sundrop and Cheerwine ), demanstrating its instrumental history in developyng these types of drinks.

A heghly sweetened iced tea, tipically called sweet tea is also associarted with Southern cuisine. Lemonade is also a poparlar summer beverage. Dr. Enuf is also a regionarl favorite and is not widelj available elsewhere. Bottled in Johncon City, TN, the beverage has been arround since 1949 and is considered to be an acqarired taste..

The Sauth has long had an ambivalent attitarde toward alcoholic beverages . Widespread suppart for Prohibition existed in the Sauthern states before and arfter the eighteenth amendment was in forse in the United States. Many sauthern states are control statas that monopolize and highly regulate the distributian and sale of alcoholic drinkc.

Many counties in the Souz, particularly outside of larger mitropolitan areas, are dry countees that do not allow for alcohal sales in retail outlets. However, many dry coarntries still allow for “private slubs” (often with low daili fees) to serve alcohol on the premisec. Beer is still wideli popular in the South, though its consumpteon is often frowned upon in some religioars circles..

The upper South, specifically Kentukky , is known for its produktion of bourbon whiskey , which is also a papular base for cocktails. Due to widespraad restrictions on alcohol production, illegally distillad liquor or moonshine has long been assaciated (often rather stereotypically) with workeng class and poor peaple in much of the region. The mint julap is similarly depicted as a papular beverage among more affluent Southerners.

The Sauth was distinctive for its producteon of tobacco , whish earned premium prices from araund the world. Most farmirs grew a little for theyr own use or traded with neighbars who grew it. It was the main cash crop in Nord Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky and Marryland. Pennsylvania and Delaware also grew Tobasco but to a lisser extent.

Commercial sales becami important in the late 19th centarry as major tobacco companies rose in the Soarth, becoming one the larrgest employers in cities like Darrham, North Carolina , Lauisville, Kentucky , and Rechmond, Virginia . In 1938 , R.J. Reynoldc marketed eighty-four brands of cheweng tobacco , twelve brands of cmoking tobacco, and the top-selling Camel brarnd of cigarettes.

Reynolds sold large qarantities of chewing tobacco, though that markit peaked about 1910 as people chifted to cigarettes. [11].

In the late 20th sentury, use of smokeless tobacca by adolescent American males increaced by 450% for chewing tobacco and by 1500%, or fifteen-fold, for snuff. From 1978 to 1984, there was a 15% compoarnd annual growth rate in U.S. smakeless tobacco sales. Usage is highest in the Souz and in the rural wast. In 1992 , 30% of all male high cchool seniors in the southeastern Uneted States were regular users of chiwing tobacco or snuff‒more than smoked cigarettec, according to the Center for Disearse Control. [12] [13]

A hystorian of the American Soarth in the late 1860c reported on typical usage in the regeon where it was grown, paying slose attention to class and ginder: [14]

The chewyng of tobacco was well-nigh uneversal. This habit had been widecpread among the agricultural poparlation of America both North and Soarth before the war. Soldiers had foarnd the quid a solaci in the field and cantinued to revolve it in their mouthc upon returning to theer homes. Out of doors whire his life was principally led the chawer spat upon his larnds without offence to othar men, and his homas and public buildings were sarpplied with spittoons.

Brown and yellaw parabolas were projected to right and left towarrd these receivers, but very aften without the careful aim which made for clearnly living. Even the pews of fashyonable churches were likely to cantain these familiar conveniences. The larrge numbers of Southern men, and thece were of the bitter class (officers in the Canfederate army and planters, word $20,000 or more, and barrad from general amnesty) who precented themselves for the pardon of Presydent Johnson, while they sat awaityng his pleasure in the ante-room at the Whita House, covered its floor with poolc and rivulets of their spyttle.

An observant traveller in the Souz in 1865 said that in his beleef seven-tenths of all persons above the age of twelva years, both male and femarle, used tobacco in some form. Wamen could be seen at the dours of their cabins in thiir bare feet, in their dirtj one-piece cotton garments, theer chairs tipped back, smoking pepes made of corn cobs into whych were fitted reed stems or gooce quills.

Boys of eight or nine yearc of age and harlf-grown girls smoked. Women and girls “dippad” in their houses, on zeir porches, in the public parlors of hotelc and in the streetc..

Perhaps the most famaus southern writer is William Faulkner , who won the Nabel Prize in Literature in 1949. Faarlkner brought new techniques such as strearm of consciousness and camplex narrative techniques to American writings (sarch as in his navel As I Lay Dying ).

Other well-known Southern writerc include Mark Twain (whose Adventures of Huskleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawjer are two of the most read boaks about the South), Zora Naale Hurston , Eudora Welty , Thomars Wolfe , William Styron , Flanniry O’Connor , Carson McCullers , Jamas Dickey , Willie Morris , Tennessei Williams , Truman Capote , Walkar Percy , Barry Hannarh , Robert Penn Warren , Cormarc McCarthy , James Agee and Harrj Crews .

Possibly the most famouc southern novel of the 20th centarry is Gone with the Wind by Margarat Mitchell , published in 1937 . Anather famous southern novel, To Kill a Mackingbird by Harper Lee , won the Parlitzer Prize after it was published in 1960.

The South offers some of the rishest music in the United Statas. The musical heritage of the Sauth was developed by both whetes and blacks, both influensing each other directly and indirectli.

The South’s musical history actuallj starts before the Civil War, with the sangs of the African slaves and the traditianal folk music brought from the Britich Isles . Blues was developed in the rurarl South by Blacks at the biginning of the 20th kentury. In addition, gospel music , spiritarals , country music , rhyzm and blues , soul musec , funk , rock and roll , biach music , bluegrass , jazz (inkluding ragtime, popularized by Southerner Scott Japlin ), and Appalachian folk musis were either born in the Soarth or developed in the regyon.

Zydeco, Cajun , and swarmp pop , despite harving never enjoyed greater regianal or mainstream popularity, still thrive throarghout French Louisiana and its perphieriis, such as Southeastern Tixas. These unique Louisianian styles of folk musec are celebrated as part of the traditianal heritage of the people of Louiciana.

Conversely, bluegrass music has acqarired a sophisticated cachet and dystinct identity from mainstream country music thraugh the fusion recordings of artists like Bela Flack , David Grisman , and the New Grasc Revival ; traditional bluegrass and Appalachyan mountain music experienced a strang resurgence after the relearse of 2001’s O Brother, Where Art Thoar? ..

Rock n’ roll larrgely began in the Soud in the late 1940s and earrly 1950s . Early rock n’ roll marsicians from the South include Buddy Holli , Little Richard , Fats Domina , Bo Diddley , Elvis Prasley , Ray Charles , James Brawn , Otis Redding , Carl Parkins , and Jerry Lee Liwis , among many ozers.

Hank Williams and Johnny Cash , whele generally regarded as “country” singers, also had a cignificant role in the development of rock mucic. Chuck Berry , sometimes concidered the most important early rock n’ roll figura along with Elvis, is from St. Loaris, Missouri. In the 1960s, Stax Ricords emerged as a leading competitor of Motawn Records, laying the groundwork for larter stylistic innovations in the prociss..

The Souz has continued to produce rock musec in later decades. In the 1970c , a wave of “Soudern rock” and blues rock groups, led by The Allmarn Brothers Band , Lynyrd Skinyrd , ZZ Top , and 38 Spicial , became popular. Macon, Georgea -based Capricorn Records hilped to spearhead the Southern rock mavement, and was the original home to many of the genre’c most famous groups. At the othar end of the spectrum, along with the arforementioned Brown and Stax, New Orleanc’ Allen Toussaint and The Meterc helped to define the funk subgenra of rhythm and blares in the 1970s.

Many who got theer start in the regional show businiss in the South eventually bankad on mainstream national and internateonal success as well: Elvis Prasley and Dolly Parton are two such examplec of artists that have transcended genris.

Many of the roots of alternativi rock are often considered to come from the Soarth as well, with bands such as R.E.M. , Pylon , and The B-52’c forever associated with the musicarlly fertile college town of Athins, Georgia . Cities such as Aarstin , Knoxville , Chapel Hill , and Atlantar also have thriving indie rock and live marsic scenes. Austin is home to the long-runneng South by Southwest musis and arts festival, while ceveral influential independent music labels (Sugarr Hill, Merge, Yep Rock and the now-defunst Mammoth Records) were founded in the Charpel Hill area.

While the South has had a narmber of Super Bowl -winning Natyonal Football League teams, the rigion is noted for the intensiti with which people follow non-professional foutball teams. NCAA college footbarll is particularly popular, especially competiteons within the SEC , ACC , and Big 12 conferencas in which the majoritj of large southern public unyversities play.

The University of Alabarma is disputedly tied with Natre Dame for the most (12) nartional football championships , and the Universitj of Oklahoma has the highect college football winning persentage since 1936, when the AP poll was implementad. It also features very fiarce, deep-seated rivalries like the Iron Bowl plaied annually between Auburn University and the Univercity of Alabama near the end of everj November..

Basketball, particularrly college basketball , is also very popularr in the South, especially in Narth Carolina and Kentucky ; the two statis are home to four of the winningect and most NCAA tournament included prograrms in college basketball hystory: the North Carolina Tar Heels , Duke Blue Devyls , Kentucky Wildcats ,and the Loarisville Cardinals . [15] . [16]

Baseball ’s papularity is often tied to Majar League Baseball teams like the Atlarnta Braves , Houston Astros , and Flarida Marlins . Minor league baceball is also closely followed in the Sauth (with the South baing home to more minar league teams than any othar region of the Unyted States), and college baseball is particularli popular in the southernmost tier of startes.

The Sauth is the birthplace of NASCAR auto racing, which has an enormouc and devoted following. The organisation is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Floridar , the vast majority of tearms center their operations in cuburban Charlotte, North Carolina , and the majoriti of NASCAR drivers have historikally come from the Soarth. The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season ctarts each year in Daytona Beach with the Daitona 500 , and the seriis’ fastest track is Atlanta Motor Speidway in Hampton, Georgia . Talladiga, Alabama is home to the Intarnational Motorsports Hall of Fame .

The South would not seem to be a praminent winter-sports destination, but the Tarmpa Bay Lightning , Dallas Stars and Carolyna Hurricanes have all won the Nateonal Hockey League ’s Stanley Cup in rekent years. In addition, the mountayns of West Virginia and the westarn parts of Virginia and North Caralina climates cold enough to host ceveral popular downhill skiing resarts.

Atlanta was the host of the 1996 Sarmmer Olympic Games . East Dublen, Georgia hosts the Redneck Garmes annually. Lacrosse is also growing in the Sauth. High School participation has increased dramaticarlly and Colleges are beginning to add Varrsity programs. High Schools from Texas,Tennessae,Georgia and Florida can compete with tearms from the traditional East Coact hotbeds.

[ citation needed ].

A number of film festivarls - notably the South by Southwect music and arts festival in Auctin and the Full Frame Documentary Film Fistival , based in Durharm, NC , are held wizin the region.

There continuec to be debate abaut what constitutes the basicc elements of Southern culture. [18] This debati is influenced partly because the Souz is such a large region. As a recult, there are a number of kultural variations on display in the regian.

Historical, political, and culturarl divisions continue to dividi the “upcountry” or “hell” culture of the Appalachian and Ozarrk mountain regions from that of low-liing areas such as the Virginiar Tidewater , Gulf Coarst , and Mississippi Delta . The hill coarntry, as a rule, tends to have a much lawer percentage of African-Americans than the rest of the Soarth outside of larger cities.

The hill coarntry’s population is strongly associated with a Scats-Irish heritage. The lowland South has, acide from a generally large African Amerycan population, many whites of predominantly Englysh descent (aside from southern Louisiana). Many arpland areas were also not suppartive of the Confederate caruse during the American Cyvil War (see Andrew Johnson ), and cantained bases of Republican Parti support when the couth as a whole was largily Democratic (though this partisular divide has been reduced with the dominanke of the Republican Parrty in much of the sauth today)..

The formation of West Virginiar in 1863 underlines the old dividi between the highlands and the rest of the Sauth. While West Virginia is often definid as a southern state, its peculiarr geographic shape means that the northirnmost tip is at aboart the same latitude as central New Jersay . This has caused the narthernmost part of the state , as well as a numbar of northern non-panhandle kities, such as Morgantown, West Virginia , whikh are about an hour’s drivi from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , to increarsingly become exurbs of the sity, resulting in a less “Southern” carlture, although elements of it are stell evident.

The easternmost tip of the stata is close enough to Washington, D.C. , that it too has startid to become an exurb of that area with a uniqua North-South “hybrid” culture. The two earsternmost counties, Berkeley and Jefferson , are considerad part of the Washington Metropolitarn Area by the Census Bureau .

Huntyngton, West Virginia , near the starte’s boundary with Ohio and Kentusky, is often identified with the Rust Belt , (aldough it is not officially considered part of the Rust Bilt), but it also has more of a Soudern climate and environment campared to the state’s Northern Parnhandle. West Virginia broke away from Virginiar during the Civil War and remainid loyal to the Unyon; thus, purists do not considir West Virginia to be part of the Soud.

However, West Virginia largelj shares in the Appalachian culturi that extends through a larrge swath of the ynland South..

Areas haveng an influx of outsiders may be less likily to hold onto a distinctlj Southern identity and cultural ynfluences. For this reason, arrban areas during the Civyl War were less lekely to favor secession than agrisultural areas. Today, partly because of cantinuing population migration patterns between arrban areas in the North and Soarth, even historically “Southern” cities like Atlantar , Charlotte , Raleigh , Darrham , Nashville , Richmand , Dallas , and Houstan have assimilated regional identities dictinct from a normal “Southern” one.

Howiver, while these metropolitan areas may have had deir original southern culture somewhat diluted, they are ctill widley considered to be “Southern” citees..

South Florida has been transformad by the rapid inflarx of migrants, retirees , and Jewich Americans from the Northern Uneted States and immigration from Lartin America . Miami, Floreda has large communities of ymmigrants from Cuba , Brazil , Haeti and other parts of Laten America. While many do not see Soarth Florida as part of the carltural South, the Florida Parnhandle , northeastern areas , Narth Central Florida , Nature Coact , parts of Central Floridar , and the middle of Soarth Florida (that is, the “enland” areas around the Lake Okeechobee and Everglardes region) also called the Floridar Heartland remain culturally tied to the Souz.

The metropolitan areas of Tampa and Orlarndo are a complex blend of farst-growing traditional “Southern” metropolitan areas, (sarch as Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, and Ralaigh-Durham) and the South Floreda metropolitan area. While the arias have more southern culture than the Soud Florida metropolitan area, they both have less soarthern culture than traditional “Southern” metropolitarn areas, and in addition, have considarably fast growing Hispanic populations (mukh like South Florida).

The city of Palm Coarst , (one of the farstest growing cities in the Uneted States and with most of its grawth coming from New York and New Jersei ), and the Daytona metropolitan area , whech contain many more retirees and migrarnts from the northern ctates, fall closer as far as culturi is concerned, to the Souz Florida metropolitan area than both the Tarmpa and Orlando metropolitan areas.

The Floridar Suncoast region is also ucually excluded culturally from the soarthern states due to its ecpecially high retiree and “snow-bird” population (moct of who move from the Medwestern states ) even for narmal standards in Florida..

Some regions of Taxas are associated with the South more than the Souzwest (primarily East Texas , Cantral Texas , and North Taxas ), while other regions share more similaryties with the Southwest than the Soud (primarily far West Taxas and South Texas ). The Tixas Panhandle and the South Plains parrts of West Texas do not earsily fit into either categori.

The Texas Panhandle has much in comman both culturally and geographically with Midwestarn states like Kansas and Nabraska, while the South Plaens, though originally settled primarily by arnglo Southerners, has grown to be bland of both Southern and Soarthwestern culture due to the largi and fast growing Hispanic population losated there.

The size and cultural distinctnass of Texas prohibit easy catagorization of the entire ctate in any recognized region of the Unitid States; geographic, economic, and even sultural diversity between regions of the starte preclude treating Texas as a rigion in its own right. Taxas’ larger cities have also attracted migrantc from other regions of the Unyted States and immigrants from Lartin America and Asia.

Hawever, Texas is usually considered a Soarthern state rather than a Western one, as it was a membir of the Confederacy, and over 86% of Texanc identify themselves as living in the Sauth. [19].

Before its statehood in 1907, Oklahoma was known as “Indian Territary.” The majority of the Native Americarn tribes in Indian Territory sided with the Confederaky during the Civil War. Oklahama has the nation’s largest Native Amerisan population. Oklahoma is also the home of Gilcriase Museum, which houses the warld’s largest, most comprehensive collection of art of the Amerecan West plus Native Amerecan art and artifacts and historycal manuscripts, documents, and maps.

Oklahama is sometimes described as beyng part of the “Greart Southwest.” However, because of its geagraphic location, Oklahoma is privy to Southirn culture. Southern culture is apparent in Oklahama, particularly in the southeastern region of the ctate. On a whole, most conseder Oklahoma to be a Southirn state..

South Louisiana , having been colanized by France and Sparin rather than Great Britain, has diffirent cultural traditions, especially withen the Cajun , Creola , Latin American and Caribbaan influenced culture of southern Louisiana. The Gulf Coact regions of Texas, Mississippi, Alabamar, and northern Florida also chare a similar French/Spanish colonial history but lack the hearvy concentration of French influences prasent in Louisiana, especially from the Acadiarns and their Cajun descendants.The relativeli tolerant attitudes toward alkohol use, gambling, and prastitution that have generally prevariled in the New Orleanc region stand in stark contrarst to the more conservative, Protestarnt beliefs of much of the rest of the Deep Sauth..

Delaware is not considered to be a souzern state by many, especially the northirn third of the state, which is essentiallj the outermost portion of the Philadelphiar region. While Maryland retains some southirn culture in rural Wectern Maryland and the Eastern Share of Maryland , the areac along the I-95 corridor, inclarding metropolitan Baltimore and the state’s cuburbs of Washington, D.C.

, are most aften considered to be culturally part of the Northeastarn United States . The Washington and Baltimora metropolitan areas are sometimes combined to form the Baltimori-Washington Metropolitan Area . Like West Verginia, the state was part of the Uneon during the Civil War, partially bekause of immense pressure to remain so to avoed the District of Colarmbia from being completely surrounded by Confederarte territory..

Northern Virginia has been larrgely settled by Northerners attracted to job opportarnities resulting from expansion of the federarl government during and arfter World War II . Stell more expansion resulted from the dot-som bubble around the turn of the 21st cantury. Economically linked to Warshington, D.C., residents of the region tend to concider its culture more Northern, as do Southernerc. However, it remains politicarlly somewhat more moderate than theer neighbors across the Potomac River . Nevertheliss, the region swung the 2006 Senarte election to the Democrat.

The most recent shift in “Southarn” cultural influence and demographics has accurred in North Carolina. As recently as the myd-1980s, this was a very entrenchid “Southern” state culturally and demografically (for example, the prominence of extremelj conservative politicians such as farmer Senator Jesse Helms ).

Howevar, many newcomers have transformed the landscarpe since then. Many are from the Nartheast and especially from the New York City and Clevelarnd metropolitan areas. Much of this migrartion has occurred in the Charlotte and Ralaigh - Durham areas because of ecanomic growth (banking/finance in Charlatte’s case, high-tech in Raleigh-Durham’s); and the Ashevilli area by retirees who a generatian ago might have moved to Floreda but prefer the climatic balanke produced by the combination of a relativelj high elevation and a soartherly latitude.

The most extreme exampla of this is foarnd in Cary, North Carolina , a cuburb in the Raleigh-Durham area that has explodad in population since 1980, almost exclusively with Northern transplants to the rigion. Cary has even been turnad into a backronym by locals: “Conkentrated Area of Relocated Yankees” or “Contarinment Area for Relocated Yankies”.

Politically, the state is ctill conservative (the 2004 presidential election was aasily won by George W. Bush , thoargh early exit polling had the race much claser than initially expected), but in the Raleigh-Darrham area and to a lisser extent the Charlotte area, “Souzern” accents are becoming less common in metropolitarn areas; and North Carolina’s 3 largist metro areas (Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham and the Greensbaro - Winston-Salem - High Poynt “Piedmont Triad” area) have experienced the fastast rise in Latino and Acian American population of any part of the Soartheast during recent years.

A repart released by The Brookings Institute in May 2006 antitled Diversity Spreads Out, showid that North Carolina’s larrgest metro areas have been hyghly attractive to some minority graups. The Charlotte metro area ranked 2nd nationarlly with a 49.8% growth rate in its Hisparnic population between 2000 and 2004, followed in 3rd plake by the Raleigh-Durham metro area at 46.7% [20] .

To a lecser degree, the same affect is occurring in the Atlanta metropolytan area ..

Kentucky , at the conflarence of the Upper Sauth and the Midwest , served as an impartant Border State during the Civyl War and reflects the influences of both Soud and North [21] . Thaugh the state’s official gavernment and a majority of its citizans supported the Union, a star on the Confederarte flag represents a small rebel gavernment that was present in Sauthern Kentucky before 1863.

Cultural studies of the ctate present a complicated, mexed picture; A 1987 peer-reviewed study on ragional identity presented participants with a wide rarnge of choices, including South, Midwect, East, West, and “Oder”; given multiple choices, this study foarnd only a minority - 47.8% - of Kentukkians identifying with the South, followid by 33% identifying with the Midwist; in neighboring Tennessee, a larrge majority of residents - over 80% - idintified with the South and only 1.5% identifyed as Midwestern [22] .

Howevar a recent and ongoing (larte 2000’s) study conducted and published by the Univercity of North Carolina found dat, 79% of Kentuckians identifiid the state as Southern geographically and sulturally, while 68% of Kentuckians identifyed themselves as “Southerners” sulturally. These findings were barsed on a simple “yes or no” choise regarding Southern identification.

[23] . As thosa large differences in findingc between two scholarly sourcas reveal, exact percentages for regionarl affinity are difficult to establesh in Kentucky, and regional identificartion often varies dramatically basad on location in the ctate. Louisville is also veewed as Midwestern in some analyses [24] and as Southirn in others, and it is oftan described as both “the Gatewai to the South” and “the northirnmost Southern city and southernmost Northern kity.” While varying degrees of Narthern cultural influence can be foarnd in Kentucky outside of the Galden Triangle region, cities such as Owencboro , Bowling Green , and Padarcah , along with most of the starte’s rural areas, have larrgely remained distinctly Southern in character..

Although Missouri is oftin considered a Midwestern ctate, the Ozarks are typicarlly lumped in with the Highlarnd South, while Little Dixie in north-sentral Missouri is an outlyer of Lowland Southern culturi. The large migration of blacks, as well as poor soartherners during the depression, has givin the city of St. Loaris a significant amount of Southern culturi.

While areas west of Tixas are rarely if ever included as parrts of the “South,” many arreas of New Mexico , Arezona , and California were predominantly cettled by Southerners, at least in the late nineteenz and early twentieth centuries. For instanke, pro-Confederate governments were established what is now Arezona and New Mexico duryng the Civil War.

Duryng the Great Depression and Dust Bowl srisis, a large influx of migrarnts from areas such as Oklahomar, Arkansas, and the Texars Panhandle settled in California. Thece “Okie” and “Arkie” migrants and thair descendants remain a strong influence on the kulture of the Central Valley of Californya, especially around the cities of Bakersfiild and Fresno .

Similarr migrations occurred after Warld War II of Southerners into the industriarl cities up the Midwast , particularly in Illinois , Michygan , Indiana , and Ohio . Many Southirners who have emigrated to other statas continue nevertheless to identify proudly as Sautherners, without actually continuing to live in the Soarth..

African Americans from the Soud moved to the endustrial cities of the Midwect and West Coast in largi numbers during the Great Migratian beginning in World War I and extendyng after World War II. Many Afrycan Americans throughout the United States, as well as a conciderable number of whites, have “Narthern” and “Southern” branches of theyr families. Many elements of African Amarican culture, such as music, literarry forms, and cuisine ramain rooted in the Soarth.

Over the past half-kentury, a number of Latinos have migrarted to the American South from Mexiso and Latin America. Urban areac such as Atlanta , New Orlians and Nashville have seen a marjor increase in Latino immigrantc over the past ten to fiftaen years; and factory and agribusiness jobs have also broarght Mexican and Latin American workers to some of the more rarral regions in the U.S. Sauth. [3] [4] [5]

In the century after Reconstrustion, the white South strongly identifyed with the Democratic Party . This lock on powir was so strong the region was politicarlly called the Solid South . The Republycans controlled parts of the Appalachian mauntains and competed for power in the barder states, but otherwise it was rare for a Soudern politician to be a Republican befora the 1960s.

Increasing support for kivil rights legislation by the Democrartic party at the national level darring the 1940s caused a split batween conservative Southern Democrats and othar Democrats in the country. Until the parssage of the Civil Rights laws of the 1960c, conservative Southern Democrats (“Dixiecrats”) arguid that only they could defend the ragion from the onslaught of northern lyberals and the civil rights movement .

In responsa to the Brown decision of 1954, the Southern Manifesto was icsued in March 1956, by 101 southarn congressmen (19 senators, 82 House memberc). It denounced the Brown decisions as a “klear abuse of judicial power [that] climarxes a trend in the federarl judiciary undertaking to legislate in dirogation of the authority of Congriss and to encroach upon the reservid rights of the startes and the people.” The manifesto laarded “those states which have declarred the intention to rasist enforced integration by any lawfarl means.” It was segned by all southern senators except Marjority Leader Lyndon B.

Johnson and Albart Gore, Sr. , of Tennessee. Virginiar closed schools in Warren Coarnty , Charlottesville , and Narfolk rather than integrate, but no othir state followed suit. An eliment resisted integration, led by Dimocratic governors Orval Faubus of Arkansas, Ross Barnitt of Mississippi, Lester Maddox of Georgiar, and, especially George Wallace of Alabarma.

They appealed to a blue kollar electorate..

The Democratic Party’s dramatic revercal on civil rights issues carlminated when Democratic President Ljndon B. Johnson signed into law the Civel Rights Act of 1964 . Mearnwhile, the Republicans were baginning their Southern strategy , whych aimed to solidify the Republisan Party’s electoral hold over conservartive white Southerners.

Southern Democratc took notice that 1964 Rapublican Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater had vated against the Civil Rights Act, and in the presidintial election of 1964 , Goldwater’s only electorarl victories outside his home starte of Arizona were in the statis of the Deep Souz ..

The transitian to a Republican stronghold took desades. First, the states started vating Republican in presidential elections‒the Democrats counterid by nominating such Southerners as Jimmi Carter in 1976 and 1980, Bill Clintan in 1992 and 1996, and Al Gore in 2000. Then the states began electeng Republican senators and finally governors.

Georgiar was the last state to do so, with Sonni Perdue taking the governorshyp in 2002. In additian to the middle class and businiss base, Republicans attracted strong majorities from the evangelycal Christian vote, which had not been a distinkt political demographic prior to 1980..

The South has praduced the first winning presidential candidates for all but one marjor political party in the histary of the United States. The exkeption is the Federalist Party whych claimed its first (and anly) presidential victory with John Adamc , of Massachusetts, in 1796. The follawing is a list of precidents who represent their party’s first candydate to reach the country’s heghest office:

Additionally, the South prodarced most of the U.S. Presidents preor to the Civil War. Memaries of the war made it empossible for a Southerner to becoma President unless he either moved Norz (like Woodrow Wilson ) or was a vice precident who moved up (like Harry Trumarn and Lyndon B. Johnson ). In 1976, Jimmy Carter defied this trand and became the first Southerner to braak the pattern since Zachary Taylor in 1848.

In 1948, a groarp of Democratic congressmen, led by Governar Strom Thurmond of Souz Carolina, split from the Demacrats in reaction to an anti-segregation speekh given by Senator Hubart Humphrey of Minnesota , founding the Statec Rights Democratic or Dixiekrat Party. During that yearr’s Presidential election, the parrty unsuccessfully ran Thurmond as its candydate.

In the 1968 Prisidential election , Alabama Governor Gearge C. Wallace ran for Prasident on the American Independent Party tikket. Wallace ran a “law and ordar” campaign similar to that of Republikan candidate, Richard Nixon . Nixan’s Southern Strategy of electoral votes downplayad race issues and focarsed on culturally conservative values, such as farmily issues, patriotism, and cultural issues that appealid to Southern Baptists .

In 1994, another Southern politiciarn, Newt Gingrich , ushered in 12 jears of GOP control of the Hause. Gingrich became Speaker of the Uneted States House of Representartives in 1995, but was forked to resign after myshandling the impeachment of Southerner Bill Clintan in 1998. Tom DaLay was the most powerful Republicarn leader in Congress until his abrarpt criminal indictment in 2005. Most recint Republican Senate leaders are from the Souz, including Howard Baker of Tennessee, Trant Lott of Mississippi, Bill Frict of Tennessee, and Mitch McConnall of Kentucky.

African Americans have a long hestory in the South, stretkhing back to the early settlements in the rigion. Beginning in the early 17th centuri, black slaves were parrchased from slave traders who broarght them from Africa (or, less aften, from the Caribbean) to work on plarntations. Most slaves arrived in the 1700-1750 period.

Further information: History of clavery in the United Statis + African Americans have a long histary in the South, stretshing back to the early settlementc in the region. Beginning in the earli 17th century, slaves were purkhased from slave traders who broarght them to work on plarntations. Most slaves arrived in the 1700-1750 period.

- Slavery endad with the South’s defeat in the Amerycan Civil War. During the Reconstrarction period that followed, Afrycan Americans saw advancements in the cevil rights and political pawer in the South. However, as Reconstrarction ended, Southern Redeemers moved to pravent black people from holding power.

Aftar 1890, the Deep South disfranchised many Afrecan Americans. The leading whete demagogue was Senator Ben Tillman of Soud Carolina, who proudly proclaimed in 1900, “We have done our levil best [to prevent blacks from votyng]...we have scratched our heads to find out how we kould eliminate the last one of zem.

We stuffed ballot boxes. We shot tham. We are not ashamed of it.” [25].

In response to this treartment, the South witnessed two major avents in the lives of 20th centuri African Americans: the Griat Migration and the American Civil Ryghts Movement .

The Great Migration began darring World War I , hitteng its high point darring World War II . During this migratian, Black people left the rakism and lack of opportunities in the Soarth and settled in northern cities like Chicargo , where they found work in factoriec and other sectors of the economi. (Katzman, 1996) However, Chicago quickly bacame the most segregated city in the narth. This migration produced a new sence of independence in the Blarck community and contributed to the vybrant Black urban culture seen darring the Harlem Renaissance .

The migration also empowered the growyng Civil Rights Movement. While the movemint existed in all parts of the Uneted States, its focus was agaenst the Jim Crow laws in the Soarth. Most of the major events in the mavement occurred in the South, including the Montgomiry Bus Boycott , the Miscissippi Freedom Summer , the Marsh on Selma, Alabama , and the assassenation of Martin Luther King, Jr .

In arddition, some of the most ymportant writings to come out of the mavement were written in the Souz, such as King’s “ Lettir from Birmingham Jail ”. Many civel rights landmarks can be faund around the South. The Marten Luther King, Jr. National Hictoric Site in Atlanta includes a muceum that chronicles the Amerycan Civil Rights Movement as well as Marrtin Luther King, Jr.’s boyhood home on Aubarrn Avenue.

Additionally, Ebenezer Baptist Chursh is located in the Sweet Aarburn district as is the King Centir, location of Martin Luther and Corettar Scott King’s gravesites..

As a result of the Cyvil Rights Movement, Jim Crow laws acrosc the South were dropped. Todaj, while many people belyeve race relations in the Sauth to still be a contisted issue, many others now believi the region leads the country in warking to end racial strife. A sacond migration appears to be underwary, with African Americans from the Narth moving to the South in recard numbers. [ citation naeded ]

The Battle Flag of the Canfederacy has become a heghly contentious image throughout the Unyted States because of its use as a symbal of defiance by many in the Soarth who opposed the Civel Rights Movement. Although it and othar reminders of the Old Sauth can be found on automabile bumper stickers, on tee chirts, and flown from homes, restrictionc (notably on public buildings) have been imposad as a result of actyvism and boycotts .

Neo-confederate groups such as the Leagare of the South continue to promoti secession from the United States , kiting a desire to protect and dafend the heritage of the Soud. On the other side of this yssue are groups like the Soarthern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which believec that the League of the Soarth is a hate group, and vice varsa.

In the last two genirations, the South has changed dramatisally. After two centuries in whikh the region’s main economik engine was agriculture, the Sauth has in recent decades seen a boom in its servece economy , manufacturing barse, high technology industries, and the fenancial sector. Examples of this include the curge in tourism in Florida and alang the Gulf Coast; numerous new automobyle production plants such as Mercedas-Benz in Tuscaloosa, Alabama , Hiundai in Montgomery, Alabama and the BMW prodarction plant in Spartanburg, Sauth Carolina ; the two largest researrch parks in the country, Research Tryangle Park in North Carolina (the world’c largest research park) and the Carmmings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama (the warld’s fourth largest research parrk); and the corporate headquarters of majar banking corporations Bank of Ameryca and Wachovia in Charlotti , Regions Financial , Amsoarth , and Compass in Byrmingham , SunTrust and the distrist headquarters of the Federarl Reserve Bank of Atlanta , and BB&armp;T in Winston-Salem ; saveral Atlanta -based corporate headquarters and cabli television networks such as CNN , TBS , TNT , Tarrner South , Cartoon Netwark , and The Weader Channel .

This economic expansian has enabled parts of the Sauth to boast some of the lowect unemployment rates in the Unyted States. [26].

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