The South

Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas

Major Cities: Atlanta, Georgia; New Orleans, Louisiana; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Houston, Texas

Literature: William Faulkner, Thomas Wolfe, Robert Penn Warren, Margaret Mitchell, Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, Flannery O’Connor, Alice Walker

A section of the Atlanta, Georgia, skyline rises behind the Centennial Olympic Park as seen from the top of the CNN Center.

Like New England, the South was first settled by English Protestants. There was also an influx of French Huguenots, particularly into South Carolina, and, of course, there were many French settlers in Louisiana. But whereas New Englanders tended to stress their differences from the old country, Southerners tended to emulate the English. Even so, Southerners were prominent among the leaders of the American Revolution, and four of America’s first five presidents were Virginians.

In contrast to the rocky states of New England and the fertile valleys of the Mid-Atlantic where family farms flourished, the southern states relied heavily on an agriculture organized into large farms or plantations that grew labor-intensive crops, such as cotton and tobacco for markets in the North and across the Atlantic. To supply this need, plantation owners relied on slaves brought from Africa. But slavery became a contentious issue, dividing North and South. To Northerners it was immoral; to Southerners it was integral to their way of life. In 1861, 11 southern states left the Union intending to form a separate nation, the Confederate States of America. This separation led to the Civil War, the Confederacy’s defeat, and the end of slavery. The scars left by the war took many decades to heal.

Over time, however, Southerners looked past these divisions, and in the late 20th century a new regional pride expressed itself under the banner of “the New South.” Again, the South gained influence in national politics: Since 1976, the only president not from the South was Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter is from Georgia. George Bush and his son George W. are long-time residents of Texas, and Bill Clinton is from Arkansas. Also, the South has drawn international events, such as the annual Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, and the 1996 summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

Today the South has evolved into a region rich in manufacturing, banking, and transportation. High-rise buildings crowd the skylines of cities throughout the region. Owing to its mild weather, the South has also become a magnet for retirees from other U.S. regions and from Canada. Whether retired or simply looking for a good quality of life, newcomers to these “Sunbelt” states are finding a modern mix of business opportunity and the style and flavor traditional to the South.

The literary wealth of the South is legendary, particularly in the 20th century, including William Faulkner’s novels about life in Mississippi, the plays of Tennessee Williams, and the short stories of Flannery O’Connor.

Regional foods include southern fried chicken, grits, barbecue, and the French and Creole cuisine of Louisiana.

A Brief Tour of the United States — The Midwest