371 pages
English language
Published July 8, 2011 by Viking.
According to award-winning journalist and historian Colin Woodard, North America is made up of eleven distinct nations, each with its own unique historical roots. In American Nations he takes readers on a journey through the history of our fractured continent, offering a revolutionary and revelatory take on American identity, and how the conflicts between them have shaped our past and continue to mold our future. From the Deep South to the Far West, to Yankeedom to El Norte, Woodard (author of American Character: A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good) reveals how each region continues to uphold its distinguishing ideals and identities today, with results that can be seen in the composition of the U.S. Congress or on the county-by-county election maps of any hotly contested election in our history.
Convincing argument about the stability of the various cultures in North America over the past 400 years, and how they have influenced the history of the United States.
"American Nations" by Colin Woodard presents an intriguing and thought provoking conception of American history and identity. Taking inspiration from [b:Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America|32081|Albion's Seed Four British Folkways in America (America A Cultural History, Vol. I)|David Hackett Fischer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1370325181l/32081.SY75.jpg|32292], Woodard argues that North American consists of 11 national cultures and that much of the quirkiness of American political and social life can be explained by historical patterns laid hundreds of years ago by the first settlers to a region. Key to his argument is that the areas retain the cultural features of the first settlers and even immigrants (domestic or international) to those regions eventually become subsumed to that national character.
In some places, the arguments are quite intriguing.
A handful of examples of his arguments:
- Those who know the story of the American Revolution know that it started in New England, moved to New …
"American Nations" by Colin Woodard presents an intriguing and thought provoking conception of American history and identity. Taking inspiration from [b:Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America|32081|Albion's Seed Four British Folkways in America (America A Cultural History, Vol. I)|David Hackett Fischer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1370325181l/32081.SY75.jpg|32292], Woodard argues that North American consists of 11 national cultures and that much of the quirkiness of American political and social life can be explained by historical patterns laid hundreds of years ago by the first settlers to a region. Key to his argument is that the areas retain the cultural features of the first settlers and even immigrants (domestic or international) to those regions eventually become subsumed to that national character.
In some places, the arguments are quite intriguing.
A handful of examples of his arguments:
- Those who know the story of the American Revolution know that it started in New England, moved to New York and the Atlantic States, moved the Deep South, and then ended in Virginia. Woodard argues that we should see the Revolution as not one conflict but four separate wars of national liberation for four distinct regional nations: Yankeedom, Midlands, Deep South, and Tidewater.
- California combines the big society utopian vision of Yankeedom and the libertarian, individualistic attitude of people from the hearty El Norte region (Southwest US / Northern Mexico) and Appalachia settlers who came out West;
- The Midwest in the US is the perpetual swing region in elections because it actually consists of three different bands of settlement dividing the region pretty evenly;
- Though Canada is also subject to these rules, Woodard argues that, besides the nation of New France (Quebec), Canada are subject to national cultures that are not as much in their control but centered in the United States. The distinctiveness of Canada comes from the unique relationship that French settlers had with the First Nations peoples, based on a vision of social harmony that was largely absent from the United States.
What makes the book particularly interesting is that he often used language more often heard in discussions of international relations to describe the conflicts between these various regions.
I enjoyed this book. It will change how you see the United States completely. I recommend it for people interested in American history, politics, and society, but also for those interested more generally in cultural geography. My one hesitation for rating the book higher is that for many of the chapters, Woodard draws from a single source text or two to prove his point. I would love to see a more robust examination of the thesis to test his ideas more fully.
A new perspective on the history of our country and why there really never has been a single unified America.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in either American history, or the current political situation. It's a really interesting look at how different regions were settled with completely different founding assumptions - assumptions that have deep impact today. Well written, and well researched. Very engaging read. Loved the book.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in either American history, or the current political situation. It's a really interesting look at how different regions were settled with completely different founding assumptions - assumptions that have deep impact today. Well written, and well researched. Very engaging read. Loved the book.
