American nations : a history of the eleven rival regional cultures of North America

An illuminating history of North America's eleven rival cultural regions that explodes the red state-blue state myth. North America was settled by people with distinct religious, political, and ethnographic characteristics, creating regional cultures that have been at odds with one another ever since. Subsequent immigrants didn't confront or assimilate into an "American" or "Canadian" culture, but rather into one of the eleven distinct regional ones that spread over the continent each staking out mutually exclusive territory. In American Nations, Colin Woodard leads us on a journey through the history of our fractured continent, and the rivalries and alliances between its component nations, which conform to neither state nor international boundaries. He illustrates and explains why "American" values vary sharply from one region to another. Woodard reveals how intranational differences have played a pivotal role at every point in the continent's history, from the American Revolution and the Civil War to the tumultuous sixties and the "blue county/red county" maps of recent presidential elections. American Nations is a revolutionary and revelatory take on America's myriad identities and how the conflicts between them have shaped our past and are molding our future. Review "Woodard offers a fascinating way to parse American (writ large) politics and history in this excellent book." ― Kirkus (starred review) "Woodard explains away partisanship in American Nations ... which makes the provocative claim'' that our culture wars are inevitable.'' North America was settled by groups with distinct political and religious value--and we haven't had a moment's peace since." -- Publishers Weekly (Fall 2011 "Top Ten Politics" pick) "A smart read that feels particularly timely now, when so many would claim a mythically unified "Founding Fathers'' as their political ancestors." -- Boston Globe "A fascinating new take on our history" -- The Christian Science Monitor "For people interested in American history and sociology, "American Nations" demands reading." -- St.Louis Post-Dispatch "[In] offering us a way to better understand the forces at play in the rumpus room of current American politics, Colin Woodard has scored a true triumph" * -- The Daily Beast / Newsweek* "Woodard makes a worthwhile contribution by offering an accessible, well-researched analysis with appeal to both casual and scholarly readers." -- Library Journal "[American Nations'] compelling explanations and apt descriptions will fascinate anyone with an interest in politics, regional culture, or history" -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "[A] compelling and informative attempt to make sense of the regional divides in North America in general and this country in particular....Woodard provides a bracing corrective to an accepted national narrative that too often overlooks regional variations to tell a simpler and more reassuring story. " -- The Washington Post An illuminating history of North America's eleven rival cultural regions that explodes the red state-blue state myth. North America was settled by people with distinct religious, political, and ethnographic characteristics, creating regional cultures that have been at odds with one another ever since. Subsequent immigrants didn't confront or assimilate into an “American” or “Canadian” culture, but rather into one of the eleven distinct regional ones that spread over the continent each staking out mutually exclusive territory. In American Nations, Colin Woodard leads us on a journey through the history of our fractured continent, and the rivalries and alliances between its component nations, which conform to neither state nor international boundaries. He illustrates and explains why “American” values vary sharply from one region to another. Woodard (author of American Character: A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good) reveals how intranational differences have played a pivotal role at every point in the continent's history, from the American Revolution and the Civil War to the tumultuous sixties and the "blue county/red county" maps of recent presidential elections. American Nations is a revolutionary and revelatory take on America's myriad identities and how the conflicts between them have shaped our past and are molding our future. • A New Republic Best Book of the Year • The Globalist Top Books of the Year • Winner of the Maine Literary Award for Non-fiction Particularly relevant in understanding who voted for who during presidential elections, this is an endlessly fascinating look at American regionalism and the eleven “nations” that continue to shape North America 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. There isn't and never has been one America, Colin Woodard argues, but rather several Americas: Yankeedom, New Netherland, the Midlands, Tidewater, Greater Appalachia, the Deep South, New France, El Norte, the Left Coast, the Far West, and First Nation. The original North American colonies were settled by people from distinct regions of the British Islands, and from France, the Netherlands, and Spain, each with unique religious, political, and ethnographic characteristics. Some championed individualism, others utopian social reform. Some believed themselves guided by divine purpose, others freedom of conscience and inquiry. Some embraced an Anglo-Saxon Protestant identity, others ethnic and religious pluralism. Some valued equality and democratic participation, others deference to a traditional aristocratic order. All of them continue to uphold their respective ideals today, with results that can be seen on the composition of the U.S. Congress or the county-by-county election maps of most any competitive presidential election of the past two centuries Content: Part 1. Origins: 1590 to 1769. Founding El Norte -- Founding New France -- Founding Tidewater -- Founding Yankeedom -- Founding New Netherland -- The colonies' first revolt -- Founding the deep south -- Founding the midlands -- Founding greater Appalachia -- Part 2. Unlikely allies: 1770 to 1815. A common struggle -- Six wars of liberation -- Independence or revolution? -- Nations in the north -- First secessionists -- Part 3. Wars for the west: 1816 to 1877. Yankeedom spreads west -- The midlands spread west -- Appalachia spreads west -- The deep south spreads west -- Conquering El Norte -- Founding the left coast -- War for the west -- Part 4. Culture wars: 1878 to 2010. Founding the far west -- Immigration and identity -- Gods and missions -- Culture clash -- War, empire, and the military -- The struggle for power I: the blue nations -- The struggle for power II: the red and the purple -- Epilogue.

An endlessly fascinating look at American regionalism and the eleven "nations" that continue to shape North America

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 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 presidential elections.

Slocum takes no prisoners... Recovering from a streak of bad luck at five-card stud, John Slocum stops by a river in the Grand Tetons to fill his canteen—only to find three dead bodies floating downstream. Slocum knows to find another route. But a flash of silver from a rider upstream strikes his curiosity. The rider leads Slocum to a towering wooden gate strewn with armed guards. Slocum wants to turn back, but a man with a rifle appears and persuades him otherwise. When the guards demand he pay a steep toll or leave, he plays it smart. Waiting for nightfall, Slocum discovers a rotted hole in the gate and sneaks through. But the guards arrest him and take him to be judged by a man known as “the emperor.” When the judgment is “the pits,” Slocum’s left wondering what fate will meet him—and hoping for a change of luck... The author describes eleven rival regional "nations" in the United States (Yankeedom, New Netherland, the Midlands, Tidewater, Greater Appalachia, the Deep South, New France, El Norte, the Left Coast, the Far West, and First Nation), and how these deep roots continue to influence our politics today. Abstract: The author describes eleven rival regional "nations" in the United States (Yankeedom, New Netherland, the Midlands, Tidewater, Greater Appalachia, the Deep South, New France, El Norte, the Left Coast, the Far West, and First Nation), and how these deep roots continue to influence our politics today When a mysterious Mexican woman, on a mission of revenge, shoots him in the shoulder, believing that he is the person responsible for framing her brother for murder, Clint Adams discovers that someone is impersonating the Gunsmith and vows to make things right After finding three dead bodies floating in a river, Slocum becomes a prisoner of a mysterious man known as the Emperor. But when Slocum's done with him, the Emperor's new clothes will be courtesy of an undertaker