American South and England
Posted by Art on July 07, 1998 at 23:12:26:
In response to Comparison of the American South and England, written by JenniferB. on July 07, 1998 at 09:27:44
There's a very interesting book available, called "Albion's Seed" by David Hackett Fisher, that traces the various folkways that were transferred to the respective parts of the colonies by the migrations from various parts of England. He profiles the four main migrations: the Puritans from, I think, mainly East Anglia to New England, the Quakers from the northern Midlands to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the northern border/southern Scotland types to the "backwoods," and, in reference to your post, the Cavaliers from central and southern England to Virginia, Maryland, and the Carolinas. And you're correct: the similarities you note are in fact quite real between that segment of England and the American South. It's been several years since I read the book; it's long and I can't begin to do it justice in a post like this, but it is endlessly interesting and will answer and amplify your question in full detail. Enjoy.
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