Different regions of the U.S.

[Stevicus]

In another thread, it was mentioned that Virginia is a state in "the south," and it got me to thinking of the various ways I've seen the regions of the U.S. defined, such as in maps like this:

Compare to this:

Southwest and Southeast were removed.

Then there's this one, which separates the Rocky Mountain states from the West Coast states, and keeps AZ and NM in the Southwest with TX and OK.

What would be a good, coherent method of dividing up the regions of the US?

I think my own state of Arizona would be considered "Southwest," and few would argue that point. However, I do recall a newsgroup I used to frequent where someone from California adamantly insisted that Texas was not "Southwest." California could probably be considered "Southwest," since it's both south and west, but it's usually just considered "West." And when people refer to "the South," it mainly refers to the Southeast, although it may also be limited to those states which were formerly part of the Confederacy - although that seems to vary from map to map. Some of the maps include Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware as "South," possibly because they were slave states even though they remained in the Union. But then again, on the same map, Missouri is considered Midwest. Another map has Kentucky in the Midwest, with both Virginia and West Virginia in the Mid Atlantic States. Is Kentucky in the Midwest or is it South?

Is it even important to identify different regions of the country? Does it have any real relevance or purpose?

I'm just curious about others who live in the US and the region they live in has any meaning. For those outside the US, I'd be interested in how the different regions are divided in your country.

 

[LightofTruth]

Draw a horizonal and vertical line through the middle. North, South, East, and West . just like that compass in the last map.

 

[JustGeorge]

Is it even important to identify different regions of the country? Does it have any real relevance or purpose?

I feel it is. The cultures are simply not the same in all regions.

My husband is a transplant; from what is labeled the Southeast to the Midwest. While in the Southeast, he did well socially. He was able to fit in to a reasonable degree, and had friendships. This is not something he's been able to accomplish in the Midwest, and its had a negative affect on his personality. He said people could be meaner in the Southeast, but they were direct. Here, everyone smiles, but everybody hates you. He said people were more likely to assist others in the Southeast as well; here, people keep to their own affairs(for better or worse).

Then comes the food... much of what he wanted to eat when he moved here wasn't available or wasn't affordable. He about **** a brick when he saw the price of seafood. We had to go through a small geography lesson to explain why something he once could get for next to nothing was sky high in price here. He also couldn't understand why he couldn't walk in a restaurant and order a bowl of grits.

Commerce, apparently, was different, too. He badly needed shoes. He had a twenty dollar bill. We went into a Wal-Mart, and he found a pair of shoes that were $25.00. I told him that he couldn't afford that. He looked at me sternly and said he was going to take it to the register, tell them that's what he had and they could take it or leave it. I saved him the embarrassment and explained exactly what response he would get doing that(profanity and all).

 

[Revoltingest]

I feel it is. The cultures are simply not the same in all regions.

My husband is a transplant; from what is labeled the Southeast to the Midwest. While in the Southeast, he did well socially. He was able to fit in to a reasonable degree, and had friendships. This is not something he's been able to accomplish in the Midwest, and its had a negative affect on his personality. He said people could be meaner in the Southeast, but they were direct. Here, everyone smiles, but everybody hates you. He said people were more likely to assist others in the Southeast as well; here, people keep to their own affairs(for better or worse).

Then comes the food... much of what he wanted to eat when he moved here wasn't available or wasn't affordable. He about **** a brick when he saw the price of seafood. We had to go through a small geography lesson to explain why something he once could get for next to nothing was sky high in price here. He also couldn't understand why he couldn't walk in a restaurant and order a bowl of grits.

Commerce, apparently, was different, too. He badly needed shoes. He had a twenty dollar bill. We went into a Wal-Mart, and he found a pair of shoes that were $25.00. I told him that he couldn't afford that. He looked at me sternly and said he was going to take it to the register, tell them that's what he had and they could take it or leave it. I saved him the embarrassment and explained exactly what response he would get doing that(profanity and all).

Clearly, you are a saint.

 

[JustGeorge]

Clearly, you are a saint.

I've been called a lot of things, but that hasn't been one of them...

We're pro name callers in the Midwest, too, though almost entirely from out the window of a moving vehicle.

That way the one we're yelling at can't get us....

 

[Revoltingest]

I've been called a lot of things, but that hasn't been one of them...

First time for everything.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I wonder what came of the Mason Dixon line that defined the north and south. Those that live above and those who live below.

 

[Heyo]

In another thread, it was mentioned that Virginia is a state in "the south," and it got me to thinking of the various ways I've seen the regions of the U.S. defined, such as in maps like this:

Compare to this:

Southwest and Southeast were removed.

Then there's this one, which separates the Rocky Mountain states from the West Coast states, and keeps AZ and NM in the Southwest with TX and OK.

What would be a good, coherent method of dividing up the regions of the US?

I think my own state of Arizona would be considered "Southwest," and few would argue that point. However, I do recall a newsgroup I used to frequent where someone from California adamantly insisted that Texas was not "Southwest." California could probably be considered "Southwest," since it's both south and west, but it's usually just considered "West." And when people refer to "the South," it mainly refers to the Southeast, although it may also be limited to those states which were formerly part of the Confederacy - although that seems to vary from map to map. Some of the maps include Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware as "South," possibly because they were slave states even though they remained in the Union. But then again, on the same map, Missouri is considered Midwest. Another map has Kentucky in the Midwest, with both Virginia and West Virginia in the Mid Atlantic States. Is Kentucky in the Midwest or is it South?

Is it even important to identify different regions of the country? Does it have any real relevance or purpose?

I'm just curious about others who live in the US and the region they live in has any meaning. For those outside the US, I'd be interested in how the different regions are divided in your country.

Much too complicated. What about the good old West Coast/East Coast/Flyover?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Lots of people I've talked to consider Missouri a part of the South.
And the distinctions are important because cultures and people are different. MidWest is Bible thumping protestants, meth and opiates, plenty of hate for others and those that don't fit in or confirm, terrible unhealthy diets (lots of fats, fried foods, truck loads of starches, and daily meat/sometimes eith every meal), lots of smoking, and not much else to offer (though Indiana has a solid Klan history and lots of thriving and vibrant racism still today).
West Coast is more laid back, more liberal, more tolerant and accepting. But California people have this funny weird thing of merging into a lane that is supposed to merge over, and then merging back over into the lane they started in. And there is a variety of food here, better food, and way more ethnic food. And people largely don't care here. It takes little effort in the MidWest to get scowls of disapproval. Here it takes some serious dedication to draw the same amount of ire, something I have not actually achieved here. Unlike the so-called "Heartland," where people will tell you to leave if you don't fit in.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

We're pro name callers in the Midwest, too, though almost entirely from out the window of a moving vehicle.

I never thought people were that good at it. Unoriginal, uninspiring, uncreative, they won't be winning any bard contests or rap battles any time soon.
(Everyone loses next to the Aussies)

 

[JustGeorge]

Unlike the so-called "Heartland," where people will tell you to leave if you don't fit in.

That they do. Before Covid hit, my husband and I were verbally attacked while...standing in a line to buy groceries. Apparently, our attire upset her because there was too much black in it?? He was in his work uniform... while its bland, its far from offensive...

Thankfully, she was asked to leave the store. Still a weird thing to get hot and bothered about, though.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

That they do. Before Covid hit, my husband and I were verbally attacked while...standing in a line to buy groceries. Apparently, our attire upset her because there was too much black in it?? He was in his work uniform... while its bland, its far from offensive...

Thankfully, she was asked to leave the store. Still a weird thing to get hot and bothered about, though.

Sadly, I grew used to it and become numb to it. For my attire, for defending free speech, for who I am, for what I do.
I remembered having it beaten into my head as a Christian that the world will persecute for being Christian, it will reject me for being Christian, and the whole world is out to get Christians. I never knew religious persecution until after I left the Church. Really, they should have warned me about themselves. The world isn't out to get me. But those MidWest Heartland Bible Thumpers sure are. With physical violence, lies and slander, voting to remove rights, amd doing everything thing they can to ensure "god fearing Christians" will never even even have to work with a ****** ever again.
These godless, socialist, democrat, bleeding heart blue Californians are infinitely more Christ like than those MidWest arselings who are like the ones featured here.
Bigotry? Hatred? Christians say they're tired of being made into the bad guys

 

[Stevicus]

Unlike the so-called "Heartland," where people will tell you to leave if you don't fit in.

I always thought that was more of a back east thing, at least when I was living there back in the 60s and 70s. It was a lot different in Arizona where the general attitude is "I won't mess with you if you don't mess with me." But in the Northeast, they get into each other's business and have more of an in-your-face attitude - even when it doesn't have to do with anything.

 

[Stevicus]

 

[Stevicus]

 

[anna.]

Then there's this one, which separates the Rocky Mountain states from the West Coast states, and keeps AZ and NM in the Southwest with TX and OK.

What would be a good, coherent method of dividing up the regions of the US?

As a Californian I'd go with this map, though I'd label us West Coast rather than Pacific, no one says that here. And not for map purposes but for a finer note on it I consider the Northwest as Northern CA up through WA.

This particular map also groups the states the way I see them from here, while understanding that they have their view from where they're at.

 

[Secret Chief]

For those outside the US, I'd be interested in how the different regions are divided in your country.

There's no one "official" cut-up of England; in terms of boundaries and/or names (eg from this map: what on earth is the Midlands doing being extended to the coast?). This one is as good as any. Some politicians seem to think there are just the two regions: London and Not London. (Unfair stereotypes: Southerners - polite but ungenuine; Northerners - tactless but genuine. I'm from the Midlands so I'm tactless and ungenuine).

 

[Stevicus]

There's no one "official" cut-up of England; in terms of boundaries and/or names (eg from this map: what on earth is the Midlands doing being extended to the coast?). This one is as good as any. Some politicians seem to think there are just the two regions: London and Not London. (Unfair stereotypes: Southerners - polite but ungenuine; Northerners - tactless but genuine. I'm from the Midlands so I'm tactless and ungenuine).

View attachment 48858

How about this map?

 

[metis]

I'm just curious about others who live in the US and the region they live in has any meaning.

Here's my division: There's Michigan and then there's those Other Inferior States.

 

[Secret Chief]

How about this map?

OK that's weird.