General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I seriously think we are seeing the beginning of America seperating into two or three countries. [View all]unblock
(52,118 posts)the north/south division was apparent by the time of independence but that common enemy thing put the domestic differences on the back burner. but as soon as our independence was cemented in the war of 1812, north/south squabbling came to the fore in earnest.
domestic politics became one delicate dance and careful compromise after another in an effort to avoid or at least defer all-out civil war. this worked for decades, right up until, well, it didn't. then even after the civil war, the north/south differences remained, though they took a different form.
arguably, the differences never went away, though again, they took a back burner to more pressing issues, such as completing our slaughter of american indians, stealing land from spain, the world wars, the cold war, etc.
seems the absence of a great international rival has allowed our domestic differences to bubble back up.