IS there really a difference between the US north and South?

Question

I was born and raised in connecticut and once i started living in the south, i haven't really seen a difference. In terms of race, theres all kinds of people everywhere. Well, hispanics in the south are mexican like around Texas then up north, they are either Dominican or Puerto Rican. People in the north go to school and work just as the south does. Crime is everywhere wherever you go, it can happen anywhere. People in the north gamble just as they do in the south. I'm sure there are people who are racist in the north as the south is, i mean it just depends who you are as a person. People in the north are friendly as the south is maybe nicer in the south, don't know really know the facts. People drive cars in the south and north, GMC, Cadillac, Honda, toyota .. I just haven't seen an Audi in the South. I've seen every other car. The only real difference would be the environment and weather that is different in the south and north. North and south speak english. Could it be that I'm too down to earth?

Answer 1

i don't think there is. but i think it's just a big sterotype. like whenever people think of the south they probably think of small towns fried chicken country people, etc. and in the north people probably think of big cities and rich people etc. i have family in the north and south so there's no real big difference to me, as i said before it's just a sterotype.

Answer 2

Less now than a few years ago.  I suspect you are living in one of the cities that has driven the economic growth of the South, like Atlanta.  

I was raised in the upper mid-west and moved to Dallas about 1970 so have now lived over half my life down here.  When I moved, Democrats dominated politics, but these were southern Democrats that were extremely conservative.  Republicans were associated with Lincoln and post Civil War governments and could not be elected.  Suddenly, every Democrat changed to Republican, some after being elected as Democrats, some of the more honorable ones resigning and running as Republicans.

  When I moved to Dallas, shootings were listed in the back of the paper under accidents, disguising the high death rate from guns.

  Even now, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama rank repeatedly in the last few states in the country for spending on education and care of the poorest people, in spite of Bush's "Compassionate Conservatism"

  And, I would guess that part of the change between North and South has been that while the South has been getting richer, the North has been getting poorer with the decline of heavy industry and union related jobs.

Answer 3

I don't think there' as big a difference between the US North and South as there is a difference between the various *kinds* of communities found throughout. That is, rural areas in both the north and south are going to be more similar and conservative, urban areas are going to be more liberal, etc. It's my experience that rural areas in the North and South are going to share more in common than say, a southern rural area and a southern urban area.

Answer 4

Im from the north and I am living with family in Florida, to say the least I have felt major culture shock. I would say that there is a big difference in attitude and over all personality. But based on my experiance, people up north are much more friendly and laid back than they are in the south and people in the North know how to have fun. I think the people here are a little more volatile, and the crime rates are higher in the south than in the north.

As for the culture shock, I like them are of Northern European descent, but they have more of a latin culture while me and my family in the north have maintained our Germanic heritage. Also their religion is more strict down here, and completely different from my religion actually, I dont practice christianity at all and they are christian fundamentalist like.

But yeah all and all I would say there is a major culture difference, but if you get right down to it we are all the same.

Answer 5

I was born and raised in NJ, spent the first 55 years of my life there, I have since lived in Alabama, Tennessee and finally Florida where I will stay. There are differences between the north and the south that I have found. The most notable of which is religion, there is some truth to the term the "Bible Belt". Southerners take their religion a bit more seriously than their northern counterparts, it's not something they do on Sunday then forget about the rest of the week. They are more inclined to say Grace before each meal and be involved in some church activity during the week.

The other difference I have found is food, southerners love fried food, usually in bacon grease, also they enjoy  "greens" like Collards or Mustard or Turnip greens and Okra, are almost a staple in every true southerner's home. Cornbread, grits, red eye gravy,and biscuits and gravy are served many times a week, what Southerners don't eat much of  are ethnic foods, they eat plain old comfort food, prepared simply and without many or any spices beyond salt and pepper.

As for the character  of southerners, they are more inclined to be helpful, they are honest and hard working, and if you should find yourself disabled on the side of the road , rest assured there will be a couple of "good ole boys" with a rickety old pickup offering their help.

There are other differences but it would take me an hour to tell you them.

As for me, having lived in both the north and the south, give me the south anytime.

Answer 6

What part of the south are you in?  Believe me, that could make a difference.  Location, and not just north and south, is what matters.  Plus, I've seen plenty of Audi's driving around.