When reading Wilbur Zelinsky's, " Where the South Begins: The Northern Limit of the Cis-Appalachian South in Terms of Settlement Landscape," I began to think of my home state of Florida as to whether or not it is actually considered part of the South. Wilbur Zelinsky's states, "American social scientists have had to content themselves with the Census Bureau's definition of a South that terminates along the Ohio River and Mason Dixon Line although there has been some awareness that the Southern Appalachians and Peninsular Florida cannot properly be termed Southern." Geographically, Florida is a southern state, a Confederate state, and has all the characteristics as Zelinsky stated; horses, mules, and the open rural countryside.
Florida does contain characteristics that other southern states do not have such as tourism. When I think of Florida, I do not think of cities like Jacksonville, Pensacola, or Tallahassee. I think of mostly central to southern cities such as Tampa, Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Miami. These cities have major tourism involved and that other southern states don't. For example, while growing up I cannot tell you how I've heard that Jacksonville was considered South Georgia, not North Florida. Jacksonville has all the characteristics of being that southern town. Most of the population speaks a southern dialect, population has increased with new residents moving from Georgia (Georgia being 30 miles from Jacksonville), the whole county is the city limits with undeveloped land, and culturally, the southern diet is served; i.e. fried chicken, collard greens, and grits. So, it is considered a regular city like any other southern city. Also, no Disney World, Busch Gardens, South Beach, or MTV Spring Break. When the term "The South" comes into my mind, I do think of all states south of the Mason-Dixon line, including the Appalachians, and to the east of the Mississippi River, but not most of Florida. It boils down to Florida being divided into two, Northern Florida and Southern Florida with Northern Florida including the panhandle and Southern Florida including the tourist cities.
Florida does contain characteristics that other southern states do not have such as tourism. When I think of Florida, I do not think of cities like Jacksonville, Pensacola, or Tallahassee. I think of mostly central to southern cities such as Tampa, Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Miami. These cities have major tourism involved and that other southern states don't. For example, while growing up I cannot tell you how I've heard that Jacksonville was considered South Georgia, not North Florida. Jacksonville has all the characteristics of being that southern town. Most of the population speaks a southern dialect, population has increased with new residents moving from Georgia (Georgia being 30 miles from Jacksonville), the whole county is the city limits with undeveloped land, and culturally, the southern diet is served; i.e. fried chicken, collard greens, and grits. So, it is considered a regular city like any other southern city. Also, no Disney World, Busch Gardens, South Beach, or MTV Spring Break. When the term "The South" comes into my mind, I do think of all states south of the Mason-Dixon line, including the Appalachians, and to the east of the Mississippi River, but not most of Florida. It boils down to Florida being divided into two, Northern Florida and Southern Florida with Northern Florida including the panhandle and Southern Florida including the tourist cities.
