The Political Orphanage The Map That Explains Everything About America: Colin Woodard
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Feb 4, 2026 
Colin Woodard, author and historian who maps America’s regional cultures, argues the country is many nation-like regions. He explores how colonial settlement, religion, and immigration shaped distinct political values. He discusses regional patterns on guns, health, immigration, reproductive rights, and how those cultures influence polarization and democratic stability.
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'American' As An Ethnic Identity
- Greater Appalachia cultivated an 'ethnically American' self‑identity rooted in Scots‑Irish honor culture.
- That identity supported claims of a pure, homegrown American stock resistant to outside influences.
Cities Reflect Regional Cultures Too
- Urban–rural political divides exist worldwide, but regional culture shapes both urban and rural votes.
- Cities in a given cultural nation often mirror that nation's political leanings except for largest metropolises.
Gun Deaths Track Culture, Not Just Cities
- Per‑capita gun deaths vary dramatically by cultural region, not only by urban concentration.
- Greater Appalachia and the Deep South show far higher per‑capita gun deaths than Yankee or New Netherland regions.
