American Nations was a great read. It transformed the way I thought about America. It switched my thinking from states to cultural regions. Thinking about it this way allowed me to better understand and comprehend political maps and cultural borders. I was also better educated on the history and backgrounds of the nations. It also went into depth about current political events. It explained how they were connected to the cultural regions. It showed how different political parties came and went. How they dominated America and secured alliances. It showed why the Greater New York City area (New Netherland in the book) was so diverse. It showed how Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Pennsylvania (The Midlands) were similar and encouraged peace.
It showed how Canada is so different but similar to America (e.g., Yankeedom Maritimes, New French Quebec, and Midlands Ontario). It showed how Yankeedom was so influential and expansive. It showed the origins of the Deep South. It showed the descendants of Greater Appalachia were from the Scotland Borderlands. It showed how El Norte almost seceded from the U.S. It showed and explained many different things, and I hope it will do the same for you.
