The southern region of the United States was christened as the Bible Belt by H.L Mencken, a journalist affiliated with the Chicago Daily Tribune. The term was informed by religious dominance in the region as identified through a high percentage of people identified as religious. A comparison of the region’s church attendance rates across all denominations revealed that Bible belt’s rates are higher than the total nation’s average. The region is particularly dominated by Baptist churches. As such conservative Christianity has great influence both politically and socially.
From a historical perspective, Appalachians did not have powerful systems such as monarchs and capitalism. As such, they did not have the foundational philosophy to uphold such systems. Another group that occupies the South is the Ulster-Scots who emigrated from Scotland and settled in America. Just like the Appalachia, the Ultra Scotts are believed to have been propelled to migrate from Scotland by the unfavorable monarchical policies in their ancestral land. The community had strong cultural beliefs about land and people, they believed that land was sacred According to Vann (2007), Ulster-Scots are believed to have dismissed the impositions by Anglican officials exhibiting non-conformity and tenacity. This amounted to political radicalization and non-conformism that eventually spread and were acculturated by the Appalachians.
Cultural beliefs and acquired attributes of the Appalachians, the Ulster-Scots, and other ethnic groups and have since been passed down to their descendants to this very date. Retention of the culture of the Appalachians is attributed to the topography of the region which was characterized by mountains valleys, and plateaus which were rather unattractive to foreigners (Vann, 2007). Religion is ingrained as part of the southerner’s identity, and together with their historic sense of geotheology, factors that have continued to influence people’s political attitudes. They believe that God is the supreme ruler over heaven and earth and no earthy government or a single ruler should hold too much power. The Bible states that “You would have no authority over me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”(New International Version, 2011, John 19:11) The region has predominantly been voting for presidential candidates who tend to be more affiliated to religion if political affiliations and voting patterns are to by.
Religious and cultural influence on the southerners was well demonstrated when the country was torn apart by the Civil War. The Southern Appalachians organized themselves unions while their counterparts from the lowlands failed to with their plans to persist with the confederacy. The realization of the fondness of Unions by the Appalachians by Abraham Lincoln led to the appointment of Andrew Johnson as his co-runner in the 1864 election (Vann, 2007). The fact that Andrew Johnson was a supporter of unions despite his political alienation proved effective in consolidating the southern votes. This ensured Lincoln’s election to the presidency due to the massive support of the Irish Protestants.
The Irish Protestants comprising the French, Ulster-Scots, and the German communities that have long stayed in the South, disapproved of tyranny and powerful forms of governance, a position that they have held since time immemorial. Therefore, it suffices to state that the religion and culture of the Irish Protestants have a great influence on their political views. As such, they are more likely to vote in a president accommodative to their culture and conservative Christian ideologies.
References
Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011) Holy Bible, New International Version, Online. Web.
Vann, B. (2007). Irish Protestants and the creation of the Bible Belt. Journal of transatlantic studies, 5(1), 87-106.