NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Upland South

The terms Upper South and Upland South refer to the northern part of the Southern United States, in contrast to the Lower South or Deep South. Image File history File linksMetadata Upland-South-map. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Upland-South-map. ... Insert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text here Southern United States The states shown in dark red are usually included in the South, while all or portions of the striped states may or may not be considered part of the Southern United States. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ...

Geography

There is a slight difference in usage between the two terms. "Upland South" is usually defined based on landforms, generally refering to the southern Appalachian Mountains or Appalachia (although not the full region defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission), the Ozarks and Ouachita Mountains, and the plateaus, hills, and basins between the Appalachians and Ozarks, such as the Cumberland Plateau, the Allegheny Plateau, the Nashville Basin, and the Bluegrass Basin, among others. The southern Piedmont region is often considered part of the Upland South, while the Atlantic Coastal Plain (Virginia's Tidewater region and Carolina's Lowcountry) is generally not. A rainy day in the Great Smoky Mountains, Western North Carolina Appalachia, the central and southern Appalachian Mountains of the United States, also including the Allegany and Cumberland Plateaus The Appalachian Mountains (French: les Appalaches) are a vast system of North American mountains, partly in Canada, but mostly in the... This article is about the modern area called Appalachia. ... Areas included within the Appalachian Regional Commissions charter The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a United States federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life. ... The Ozark Mountains near Roaring River State Park on Route 112. ... Ouachita Mountains The Ouachita Mountains are a mountain range located in west central Arkansas and east central Oklahoma. ... The Cumberland Plateau includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia in the United States. ... The Allegheny Plateau is a large, dissected plateau area in southern New York, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and eastern Ohio. ... The Nashville Basin is a geographic term used to describe the area surrounding Nashville, Tennessee. ... Bluegrass and rock fence of local limestone in central Kentucky. ... The James River winds its way among piedmont hills in central Virginia. ... The Atlantic Coastal Plain is the rather flat stretch of land that borders the Atlantic Ocean (including the Gulf of Mexico). ... The Tidewater region of Virginia is the southeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia, centered on Hampton Roads. ...

In contrast, the term "Upper South" tends to be defined politically by state. A common definition applies to those states that did not secede during the American Civil War until after the attack on Fort Sumter — Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas. The border states of Kentucky and Missouri are often considered part of the Upper South as well. The states of West Virginia and Maryland are sometimes included as well. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Lincoln, President Ulysses S. Grant, General Jefferson Davis, President Robert E. Lee, General Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Robert Anderson P.G.T. Beauregard Strength 85 soldiers 500 soldiers Casualties 1 dead, 5 injured 4 injured The Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12 â€“ April 13, 1861), a relatively minor military engagement at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 kmÂ²) - Width 200 miles (320 km) - Length 430 miles (690 km) - % water 7. ... This article is the current U.S. Collaboration of the Week. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Area Ranked 36th - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 kmÂ²) - Width 120 miles (195 km) - Length 440 miles (710 km) - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area Ranked 29th - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,732 kmÂ²) - Width 239 miles (385 km) - Length 261 miles (420 km) - % water 2. ... In this map: Union states Union territories The border states Kansas, which entered the Union as a free state after the Bleeding Kansas crisis The Confederacy Confederate claimed and sometimes held territories The term border states refers to five slave states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and western Virginia that... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area Ranked 37th - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 kmÂ²) - Width 140 miles (225 km) - Length 379 miles (610 km) - % water 1. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area Ranked 41st - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 kmÂ²) - Width 130 miles (210 km) - Length 240 miles (385 km) - % water 0. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

These two definitions cover the same general area. The Upland South, not being defined by state lines, includes parts of Lower South states, such as northwestern South Carolina (the Upcountry), North Georgia, North Alabama (and, in some definitions, Central Alabama), eastern Oklahoma, southern Illinois (the Shawnee Hills), Southern Indiana, and southeastern Ohio. Sometimes northeastern Mississippi is included as well. In the same way, the Upland South usually does not include parts of some Upper South states, such as the Mississippi embayment (which includes southeastern Arkansas and the Missouri Bootheel), and the coastal lowlands of North Carolina and Virginia. annually. ... The Upcountry is the region in northwestern South Carolina. ... The mountainous northern region of the State of Georgia; inahabited formerly by the Cherokee, the counties that comprise North Georgia have experience fully every episode in the history of the State, northwest Georgia being the site of several major battles in the War Between the States, such as Chickamauga and... North Alabama is a region of the U.S. state of Alabama, generally thought to include these 11 counties: Cherokee, Colbert, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, and Winston. ... Central Alabama is the region in the state of Alabama that stretches approximately 170 miles from the western border with Mississippi to eastern border with Georgia and 136 miles from the northern border of Cullman County to the Alabama River in southern Autauga County. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area Ranked 20th - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 kmÂ²) - Width 230 miles (370 km) - Length 298 miles (fBlack Mesa Mountain]][2] km) - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area Ranked 25th - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 kmÂ²) - Width 210 miles (340 km) - Length 390 miles (629 km) - % water 4. ... The Shawnee Hills is a region of Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois. ... Southern Indiana, in the United States, is notable because it is culturally and geographically more similar to the South than it is to the rest of the state of Indiana. ... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area Ranked 34th - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 kmÂ²) - Width 220 miles (355 km) - Length 220 miles (355 km) - % water 8. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article may be too technical for most readers to understand. ... This article is about the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Missouri; the term Bootheel is also used to refer to the southwestern part of Hidalgo County, New Mexico. ...

Despite these differences, the two terms, Upland South and Upper South, tend to refer to the same general region — the northern part of the American South — and are frequently used interchangeably. The corresponding terms "Lower South" and "Deep South" similarly refer to the same general region to the south of, and lower in elevation, than the Upland or Upper South.

History and culture

The Upland South differs from the Deep South in several significant ways. Not only do they differ in terrain, but also in their histories, economics, demographics, and patterns of settlement.

Origins

The Upland South emerged as a distinct region in the late 18th century and early 19th century. Migration and settlement patterns from colonial coastal regions into the interior had been established for many decades, but the scale grew dramatically toward the end of the 18th century. The general pattern was a westward migration from the lowcountry and piedmont regions of Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland, as well as a southwestern migration from Pennsylvania. Large numbers of European immigrants arrived in Philadelphia and followed the Great Wagon Road west and south into the Appalachian Highlands, via the Great Appalachian Valley. These migration streams from Virginia and Pennsylvania resulted in the Shenandoah Valley becoming well-settled as early as 1750. Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 kmÂ²) - Width 160 miles (255 km) - Length 280 miles (455 km) - % water 2. ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the City That Loves You Back, the Quaker City, The Birthplace of America Motto: Philadelphia maneto - Let brotherly love continue Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D... The Great Wagon Road, which ran from Pennsylvania to Georgia, was one of the most heavily traveled major routes for settlers in all America. ... The Great Valley, also called the Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. ... Canoeing on the Shenandoah River near Winchester, VA. The Shenandoah Valley region of western Virginia, from Winchester to Staunton, is bounded by the Blue Ridge mountains to the East and the Allegheny mountains to the West. ...

These migration streams eventually spread through Appalachia and westward through the Appalachian Plateau region into the Ozarks and Ouachitas, and ultimately contributed to the settlement of the Texas Hill Country. The main ethnicities of these early settlers included English, Scots-Irish, and German. The pattern of settlement that had begun in the Appalachian foothills was continued and extended through the mountains and highlands to the west and across the Mississippi River into the Ozark highland region. Where there was the danger of Indian attacks people settled at first in clustered "stations", but as danger lessened settlement tended to be in a rural, dispersed, kin-structured pattern, with relatively few towns and cities. These early settlers of the Upland South tended to practice small-scale farming, stock raising, and hunting. This settlement pattern of the Upland South was markedly different from the Deep South and the Midwest. The Appalachian Plateau is the western part of the Appalachian mountain system, stretching from New York to Alabama. ... The Texas Hill Country, as seen from near Interstate 10. ... British Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry stems, either wholly or in part, from one of the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom. ... Scots-Irish (formerly Scotch-Irish) is a term used to describe inhabitants of the USA and Canada of Scots-Irish (particularly Ulster-Scots) descent, who formed distinctive communities and had distinctive social characteristics. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ...

Distinct from neighboring regions

The Deep South is generally associated historically with cotton. By 1850 the term "Cotton States" was in common use and the differences between the Deep South (lower) and Upland South (upper) recognized. A key difference was the Deep South's plantation-style cash crop agriculture (mainly cotton, rice, sugar), using African American slaves working large farms while plantation owners tended to live in towns and cities. This system of plantation farming was originally developed in the West Indies and introduced to the United States in South Carolina and Louisiana, from where it spread throughout the Deep South, although there were local exceptions wherever conditions did not support the system. The sharp division between town and country, the intensive use of a few cash crops, and the high proportion of slaves, all contrasted with the Upland South. Virginia and its surrounding region stands out as different from both the Upland South and the Deep South. Its history predates the West Indian plantation model, and while tobacco was a cash crop from the start, and African slaves became widely used, Virginia did not share many of the Deep South's characteristics, such as the early proliferation of towns and cities. Cotton ready for harvest. ... A plantation is an intentional planting of a crop, on a larger scale, usually for uses other than cereal production or pasture. ... In agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for money. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... World map depicting Caribbean : West Indies redirects here. ... This Article does not cite its references or sources. ... Species Nicotiana acuminata Nicotiana alata Nicotiana attenuata Nicotiana benthamiana Nicotiana clevelandii Nicotiana excelsior Nicotiana forgetiana Nicotiana glauca Nicotiana glutinosa Nicotiana langsdorffii Nicotiana longiflora Nicotiana obtusifolia Nicotiana paniculata Nicotiana plumbagifolia Nicotiana quadrivalvis Nicotiana repanda Nicotiana rustica Nicotianasuaveolens Nicotiana sylvestris Nicotiana tabacum Nicotiana tomentosa Ref: ITIS 30562 as of August 26, 2005...

As a result of the difference in the use of slaves, the boundary between the Upland South and Deep South can still be seen today on maps showing the population percentage of African-Americans. The term Black Belt originally refered to a region of black soil in Alabama that was especially good for cotton farming (the Black Belt of Alabama), but has became more commonly used today to refer to the region of the South with a high percentage of African-Americans. In contrast, the Upland South was less involved with slavery from the start. African-Americans as percent of population, 2000. ... Alabamas Black Belt is a region of the state encompassing part of the larger Black Belt Region of the Southern United States, which stretches from Texas to Virginia. ...

In addition, the cotton belt of the Deep South was controlled by Indians (mainly the so-called Five Civilized Tribes of the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole) powerful enough to keep pioneering settlers from moving into the region. The Deep South's cotton boom did not occur until after the Indians were forced west in the early 19th century. In contrast, the Upland South, Kentucky and Tennessee especially, were the scene of Indian resistance and pioneering settlement in the late 18th century. Thus the Upland South had already established its particular settlement patterns before "Alabama Fever", as the settlement of the Deep South's cotton region was called. Cotton Belt could refer to: the southern portion of the United States where cotton is or was a primary crop (see Belt regions of the United States). ... The Five Civilized Tribes is the term applied to five Aboriginal American nations which lived in the Southeastern United States before their removal to other parts of country, especially the future Oklahoma. ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ... The Creek are an American Indian people originally from the southeastern United States, also known by their original name Muscogee (or Muskogee), the name they use to identify themselves today. ... The Chickasaws are a Native American people of the United States, originally from present-day Mississippi, now mostly living in Oklahoma. ... For other uses, see Choctaw (disambiguation). ... The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, and now residing in that state and in Oklahoma. ... Indian Removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States that sought to relocate American Indian (or Native American) tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river. ...

The differences between the Upland South and lowlands of the South's Atlantic Seaboard and cotton belt often resulted in regional tension and conflict within states. For example, during the late 18th century the upland "backcountry" of North Carolina and South Carolina grew in population until the Upland Southerners of these areas outnumbered the older, well-established, wealthier coastal populations. In some cases the conflict between the two resulted in warfare, such as War of the Regulation in North Carolina. Later, similar processes resulted in divergent populations in states to the west. Northern Alabama, for example, was settled from Tennessee by Upland Southerners, while southern Alabama was one of the core regions of the Deep South cotton boom. During the American Civil War some areas of the Upland South were noted for their resistance to the Confederacy. The uplands of western Virginia became the state of West Virginia as a result. Kentucky and Missouri remained in the Union but were torn by internal strife. The southern Appalachian region of East Tennessee, northern Alabama, and northern Georgia was widely noted for its pro-Union sentiments. The War of the Regulation was a North Carolina uprising, lasting from approximately 1764 to 1771, against corrupt colonial officials. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Lincoln, President Ulysses S. Grant, General Jefferson Davis, President Robert E. Lee, General Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action... Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: With God As Our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (popular) The Bonnie Blue Flag (popular) Capital Montgomery (until 29 May 1861) Richmond (29 May 1861â€“2 April 1865) Danville (from 3 April 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Government Confederate Republic President Jefferson... In this map: Union states prohibiting slavery Union territories Border states on the Union side which allowed slavery Kansas, which entered and fought with the Union as a free state after the Bleeding Kansas crisis The Confederacy Confederate claimed and sometimes held territories During the American Civil War, the Union... East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the state of Tennessee. ...

Upland South today

The Upland South contains its own subregions. The fertile lowland Nashville Basin and Bluegrass Basin gave rise to the truly urban cities of Nashville, Lexington, and Louisville, which grew into banking and mercantile centers in the 19th century, home to an elite class of Upland Southerns, including bankers, lawyers, and politicans. Most of the Upland South, however, remained rural in character. The Nashville Basin is a geographic term used to describe the area surrounding Nashville, Tennessee. ... Bluegrass and rock fence of local limestone in central Kentucky. ... Nickname: Music City Location in Davidson County and the state of Tennessee Coordinates: Country United States State Tennessee Counties Davidson County Founded: 1779 Incorporated: 1806 Mayor Bill Purcell (D) Area - City 526. ... Nickname: Athens of the West Horse Capital of the World Location in the Commonwealth of Kentucky Coordinates: Country State Counties United States Kentucky Fayette Mayor Teresa Isaac (D) Area - City 285. ... Louisville redirects here. ...

Although historically very rural, the Upland South was one of the South's early industrial regions and continues to be today. Mining of coal, iron, copper, and other minerals, has been part of the region's economy from its earliest settlement. The importance of mining and metallurgy can be seen in the many town with names such as Pigeon Forge and Bloomery (a bloomery being a type of smelting furnace), scattered across the Upland South. Pigeon Forge is a city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. ... Bloomery is an unincorporated hamlet in Hampshire County, West Virginia, USA. Bloomery is located along the Bloomery Pike (West Virginia Route 127), northwest of Winchester, Virginia. ... A bloomery is a type of furnace once widely used for smelting iron from its oxides. ...

Logging has also been an important part of the Upland South's economy. The region became the United States' primarly source of timber after railroads allowed large scale industrial logging in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Today, the importance of the Upland South's forests can be seen in its many national forests, such as Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina, and Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky, among many others. The Upland South's terrain and forests, as well as history and culture, occur in parts of states usually associated the Midwest and Deep South. These areas are often associated with national forests, for example Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois, Hoosier National Forest in southern Indiana, Wayne National Forest in southeast Ohio, William B. Bankhead National Forest in northern Alabama, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in northern Georgia, Sumter National Forest in South Carolina, and Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Cherokee National Forest is a large National Forest operated by the U.S. Forest Service. ... Cullasaja Falls, Nantahala National Forest. ... The Daniel Boone National Forest is the only national forest completely within the boundary of Kentucky. ... The Shawnee National Forest, located in the Ozark and Shawnee hills of Southern Illinois, consists of approximately 270,000 acres of federally managed lands. ... The Hoosier National Forest, in the hills of south central Indiana, provides a wide mix of opportunities and resources for people to enjoy. ... The Wayne National Forest is located in southeastern Ohio, U.S.A., in the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. ... The William B. Bankhead National Forest is Alabamas largest national forest, with some 180,000 acres (728 kmÂ²), and is home of Alabamas only National Wild and Scenic River, the Sipsey Fork. ... The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in northern Georgia is actually two U.S. National Forests, Oconee National Forest and Chattahoochee National Forest, linked together. ... The Sumter National Forest is one of two forests in South Carolina that are managed together by the United States Forestry Service, the other being the Francis Marion National Forest. ... The Ouachita National Forest is a National Forest that lies in the western portion of Arkansas and portions of eastern Oklahoma. ...

Textile mills and industry have been an important factor in the Upland South's economy since the time of the Deep South's cotton boom.

Today the Upland South contains a diversity of people and economics. Some parts, like the Shenandoah Valley, are famous for their rural qualties, while other parts, like the Tennessee Valley, are heavily industrialized. Knoxville and Huntsville are both centers of industry and scientific research. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Nickname: The Marble City, K-Town, Big Orange Country, Knox Vegas Location Location within the U.S. State of Tennessee Coordinates , Government Cities in Tennessee Tennessee Mayor Bill Haslam (R) Geographical characteristics Area City 254. ... Nickname: Rocket City Watercress Capital of the World Coordinates: Country United States State Alabama County Madison, Limestone Mayor Loretta Spencer Area - City 174. ...

Encyclopedia > Upland South

Contents

Geography

History and culture

Origins

Distinct from neighboring regions

Upland South today

See also

References