Book Reflection

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Recommended: Economic inequality in America

American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America by Collin Woodard takes a deeper look into how and why the United States can generally be broken into eleven different regions based upon their cultural influences. By dividing America into eleven regions, Woodard is giving further explanation as to why the red state/blue state divide is the way that it is. Woodard explains why certain regions are inclined to think and vote in the manner that they do. Whether it is from the Left Coast or to New Netherland, Woodard creates a symbolic justification for each of the eleven regions. Woodard dives into the historical aspect of each region by going back further into the colonization of these areas. Woodard touches on topics such as the Manifest Destiny and how different cultures moved west in hopes to obtain land. He also explains how many of these diverse cultures dealt with hardships along the way into settling into America. By doing so, Woodard creates proof for his hypothesis of America being divided into eleven regions. Collin Woodard has brought a unique and fresh perspective on the eleven cultures that divide the nation. Instead of looking at America as a single nation, Woodard creates a new and fascinating way to look at the cultural division of America.
All in all, the divisions of the eleven rival regions are reasonably accurate- but it’s becoming less and less accurate as time goes on. Though I agree it would be inaccurate to say everybody in each individual region carries the same beliefs/cultural values – if you’re looking at the region as a whole/majority, then the majority do carry the same beliefs or cultural affiliations. Not every person in the same region carries the same values, but the...

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...e goods.
Even though civilizing America may have taken some time back in the day, it has made America what it is today. If someone somewhere hadn’t figured out how to grow crops, the world would be nothing like it is today. Cultivation is everything. Education, economy, employment, and health can all be directly affected by how good or bad the agricultural industry is.
So, how does this book pertain to this class? In so many words, this class is after all agriculture education. Taking a minute to go back and learn how America was developed through the eyes of someone else is necessary when attempting to understand how agriculture started everything. Without agriculture, many people (if not everybody) wouldn’t have the opportunity that education creates. I wouldn’t be given the privilege to better myself through education without the developement of agriculture.

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