Southern United States

The Southern United States is one of the four main areas of the United States as set by the U.S. Census Bureau. It lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Western United States, with the Midwestern and Northeastern United States to its north and the Gulf of Mexico and Mexico to its south.

Historically, the South has been shaped by important events and traditions. It includes many different areas like the Southeast, South Central, Upper South, and Deep South. Over time, the South has created its own special culture, with unique musical styles, cuisines, and ways of life that make it different from other parts of the country.

Today, the South is one of the fastest-growing parts of the United States. It is known for its rich history, diverse population, and strong sense of community. Cities like Houston are some of the biggest and most lively in the country.

Geography

The South has many different climates, from cool to very warm. It is famous for its hot, sticky summers and mild winters. Because of the warm weather, many plants grow well here. You can find swamps, forests, and special plants like magnolias and palms. Animals such as alligators, black bears, and many types of birds live in the South.

People have different ideas about which states are part of the South. The U.S. Census Bureau groups sixteen states and Washington, D.C., together as the South. These include states like Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Some people also think of cultural areas, which can include states such as Alabama and Mississippi. The South has many subregions with their own special features, like the Deep South and the Gulf Coast.

Historically, the South was thought of as the states below certain lines and rivers, but today its borders are less clear because of the many different cultures and areas within it. Sometimes places like Puerto Rico are also thought of as part of the South.

History

Native American culture

The first people in the southern United States lived there around 9500 BC. These early people, called Paleo-Indians, were hunters and gatherers who traveled in groups. Later, different cultures grew, including the Mississippian culture, which lived from about 800 AD to 1500 AD. They built large earth mounds for homes and ceremonies. Today, many Native American groups, like the Cherokee and Seminole, still live in the South.

European colonization

When Europeans arrived, they brought diseases that many Native Americans had never seen before, which caused many deaths. They also took land from the Native people. The English were the main group to settle in the South, starting along the coast and later moving inland. Other groups, like the Spanish and French, also set up settlements in places such as Florida and Louisiana.

Instituting slavery

Before the United States became independent, slavery was allowed in all of the original colonies. The Southern colonies had many more enslaved people than other regions because their economy depended on farming crops like tobacco and later cotton, which needed a lot of labor.

American Revolution

During the American Revolution, many people in the Southern colonies supported the fight for independence. Leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson came from the South. The British tried to control the South, thinking many people there supported them, but they were not successful. The war ended with the British surrendering at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781.

Antebellum years

After the invention of the cotton gin, growing cotton became very profitable in the South. This led to more use of enslaved people on large farms called plantations. Many Native Americans were forced to move west to make way for new farms.

Civil War

Tensions over slavery and states' rights led to the Civil War in 1861. The Southern states formed the Confederate States of America but were defeated by the Union forces led by Abraham Lincoln. The war caused great damage to the South and led to the end of slavery.

Reconstruction and Jim Crow era

After the Civil War, the South faced many challenges as it tried to rebuild. New laws were passed to give freed slaves the right to vote and become citizens. However, many white people resisted these changes. Over time, new laws were created to separate people by race and limit the rights of African Americans.

1880s through 1930s

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the South began to change with the growth of cities and new industries. However, many people, especially African Americans, faced difficult conditions and discrimination. Many moved north looking for better opportunities. The Great Depression in the 1930s brought economic hardship to the region.

1940s through late 20th century

World War II brought major changes to the South, with new factories and military bases being built. This helped the economy grow, and many people moved to cities for jobs. The region continued to develop through the latter half of the 20th century, with industries like technology and aviation becoming important.

21st century

In recent years, the South has become a strong economic region with many large companies and growing cities. However, some areas still face challenges such as poverty and lower income levels compared to other parts of the country.

Modern economy

In the late 20th century, the South changed a lot. It grew in services, making things, new technology, and money matters. Texas grew very fast, especially with energy and popular places to visit like the Alamo Mission in San Antonio. Florida and the Gulf Coast also became popular to visit.

Many big car factories opened in the South, including ones for Mercedes-Benz in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Hyundai in Montgomery, Alabama, and Toyota in several states. The South is home to two big research parks: Research Triangle Park in North Carolina and the Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Texas Medical Center in Houston is known around the world for helping people with health problems, especially heart disease and cancer. Many big banking companies are based in the South, like Bank of America and Truist Financial in Charlotte. Atlanta has many important companies too, such as The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, and The Home Depot, along with several TV networks.

Education

In the past, schools in the Southern United States were not always the best in the country. But newer information shows that today, most students in the South finish high school, just like students everywhere else.

The South has many big and famous colleges and universities. Some well-known public schools include the University of Virginia, University of Texas at Austin, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Georgia Tech. There are also many famous private schools, such as Duke University, Rice University, and Vanderbilt University.

Culture

Main article: Culture of the Southern United States

See also: White Southerners and Black Southerners

The Southern United States has a special way of speaking and sounds that are unique to the area. The culture there began when people from parts of England settled there in the 1600s and early 1700s. For example, the city of Birmingham, Alabama was named after Birmingham, England. Other groups came from Northern England, Scots lowlanders, and Ulster-Scots, who later were called the Scotch-Irish and settled in places like Appalachia. Many African people were brought to the South and their descendants are a large part of the population today. This mix of cultures has created a rich blend of religion, food, art, and music, including spiritual, blues, jazz, R&B, soul music, country music, zydeco, bluegrass, and rock and roll.

The South has traditionally had lower housing costs and incomes compared to other parts of the United States. People in the South often stay close to their families, which has helped create a strong sense of community. Many Southerners see themselves as part of a special group, though not everyone agrees with this idea.

The South has been shaped by its history, including the early settlers from England and the influence of Native American culture. The area also has strong religious traditions, with many people belonging to Christian groups such as Baptists and Methodists. These traditions have been important in shaping the culture of the South.

Ethnicity

See also: Black Southerners, White Southerners, and Chinese Americans in the Mississippi Delta

The South has the largest African American population in the United States. Many African Americans and white Americans still live there. Other parts of the country have more Hispanic and Asian people. But in places like South Florida and South Texas, the number of Hispanic people is growing quickly.

Long ago, Native American tribes such as the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chicasaw, and Seminole lived in most of the South. Later, many of them were moved to Oklahoma.

Sports

Football

American football is very popular in most parts of the Southern United States.

The area has many famous and historic college football teams, especially in the Southeastern Conference (called the "SEC"), Atlantic Coast Conference (called the "ACC"), and the Big 12 Conference. The SEC includes the Alabama Crimson Tide, a top team in the sport. The sport is also popular at the high school level, where games bring families and friends together.

The first professional football team in the South was the Washington Redskins, now called the Washington Commanders. Later, the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) added teams such as the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers, Miami Dolphins, and the Dallas Cowboys. The NFL added more teams in later years.

Baseball

Baseball has been played in the Southern United States since the mid-1800s. It used to be more popular than American football and still draws many fans each year. The first mention of a baseball team in Houston was in 1861. Professional leagues like the Texas League, the Dixie League, and the Southern League started later.

The first Southern Major League Baseball team was the Houston Colt .45s, now the Houston Astros, in 1962. Later, the Atlanta Braves joined in 1966, followed by the Texas Rangers in 1972, and the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays in the 1990s.

College baseball is very popular in the South, with many teams leading in attendance.

Auto racing

The Southern states are known for stock car racing and NASCAR, which is based in Charlotte and Daytona Beach. The sport started in the South in the early 1900s, with races first held on the sands of Daytona Beach.

Basketball

Basketball is very popular in the Southern United States, especially in Kentucky and North Carolina. Both states have famous college basketball teams, like the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels. Other Southern teams have won national titles.

NBA teams in the South include the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, and Miami Heat.

Golf

Golf is a popular sport in most of the South, helped by the warm climate. The area is home to The Masters, held at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, which is one of the most important tournaments in the sport.

Soccer

In recent years, association football, called "soccer" in the United States, has become more popular at youth and college levels across the region. The sport has long been played at the college level in states along the Atlantic coast. The start of Major League Soccer brought professional soccer teams to Southern cities such as FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, D.C. United, Orlando City, Inter Miami, Nashville SC, Atlanta United, Austin FC and Charlotte FC.

Major sports teams in the South

The Southern region has many professional sports teams in the "Big Five" leagues (NFL, NBA, MLS, NHL, and MLB).

• Dallas-Fort Worth: Cowboys (NFL), Rangers (MLB), Mavericks (NBA), Stars (NHL), FC Dallas (MLS), Wings (WNBA)
• Washington, D.C.: Commanders (NFL), Nationals (MLB), Wizards (NBA), Capitals (NHL), United or the Eagles (MLS), Mystics (WNBA), Spirit (NWSL)
• Miami-Fort Lauderdale: Dolphins (NFL), Marlins (MLB), Heat (NBA), Panthers (NHL), Inter or the Herons (MLS)
• Houston: Texans (NFL), Astros (MLB), Rockets (NBA), Dynamo (MLS), Dash (NWSL)
• Atlanta: Falcons (NFL), Braves (MLB), Hawks (NBA), United (MLS), Dream (WNBA)
• Tampa Bay: Buccaneers (NFL), Rays (MLB), Lightning (NHL)
• Baltimore: Ravens (NFL), Orioles (MLB)
• Charlotte: Panthers (NFL), Hornets (NBA), Charlotte FC or the Crown (MLS)
• Nashville: Titans (NFL), Predators (NHL), Nashville SC (MLS)
• New Orleans: Saints (NFL), Pelicans (NBA)
• Orlando: Magic (NBA), Orlando City SC or the Lions (MLS), Pride (NWSL)
• San Antonio: Spurs (NBA)
• Jacksonville: Jaguars (NFL)
• Oklahoma City: Thunder (NBA)
• Memphis: Grizzlies (NBA)
• Raleigh: Hurricanes (NHL)
• Austin: Austin FC (MLS)
• Cary, North Carolina: Courage (NWSL)
• Louisville, Kentucky: Racing (NWSL)

Health

The map shows that people in most Southern states often live shorter lives than people in other parts of the country. The South has more people who are very overweight, have high blood pressure, and have diabetes.

More people in the South get very sick from strokes and may start having memory problems earlier than people in other parts of the United States. Some Southern areas have more hospital visits because of health problems linked to smoking, not exercising enough, and not eating enough fruits and vegetables.

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Southern United States

After a time called Reconstruction in the 1880s and 1890s, leaders in the South made it harder for many people to vote. This meant some groups could not help decide how the country was run. The region became known as the "Solid South," and one political group became very powerful.

Later, important laws were passed to help everyone vote and be treated fairly. This changed the politics of the South. Over time, more people in the South began to support different political parties.

The South has been home to many important political leaders and movements. Some of these leaders became President of the United States.

As of 2025, most southern states still allow the death penalty, except for Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Race relations

Native Americans

Native Americans have lived in the American South for almost 12,000 years. Over time, they lost much of their land and were moved west to a place now called Oklahoma.

Civil rights movement

Main articles: Civil rights movement, Montgomery bus boycott, and Martin Luther King Jr.

The South was very important for African Americans in the 1900s. Many left the South for better jobs during the Great Migration. This helped grow the Civil Rights Movement, which worked against unfair laws. Important events happened there, like the Montgomery bus boycott and marches in Selma, Alabama.

Racial integration

In the 1950s and 1960s, it became important to include everyone in sports teams. A big moment came in 1966 when a team with Black players won a championship, showing that everyone should have a chance.

Congress ends segregation (1964) and guarantees voting rights (1965)

Main articles: Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965

In 1964 and 1965, laws were passed to end unfair treatment based on race and to make sure everyone could vote. These were big steps toward fairness for all people.

New Great Migration

Main article: New Great Migration

After the Civil Rights Movement, many African Americans moved back to the South. Today, cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, and Houston have large African American populations. The South has made progress, though there is still work to be done.

Symbolism

The Confederate battle flag is often used to represent the South. It shows support for Southern traditions. Some groups, like the League of the South, value Southern history highly. There have been debates about whether to display the Confederate flag at government buildings or name places after leaders from that time.

Other important symbols of the South include the Bonnie Blue Flag, magnolia trees, and the song "Dixie".

Population centers

The South used to have many farms. But since the 1940s, lots of people moved to cities and big towns. Below are tables showing the biggest cities, counties, and areas in the South. Houston is the largest city in this part of the United States.

Major cities

Major counties

Major metropolitan areas

Asterisk indicates part of the metropolitan area is outside the states classified as Southern by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Major combined statistical areas

Southern states

The Southern United States includes several states, as defined by the Census Bureau. Washington, D.C. is part of this area, but it is the capital city and not a state.