Religion Christianity The Distribution of Christianity in America

Religion (Christianity)

The Distribution of Christianity in America

American Religious Concentrations. Why? • Baptist → Southeastern U. S. – Pre-Revolutionary War, Baptists had huge local autonomy • seen as more native, more “American” than Anglican • welcomed African-Americans who were rejected by mainline Protestantism, emphasized equality before God. – Later during Civil War Era • Appealed to southern whites as part of regional pride – came to support slavery, white supremacism, etc. = “Southern Baptists” = reflects autonomy! • Blacks leave to form breakaway churches but still self-identify as “baptist” = reflects autonomy! – Therefore, clustering reflects local autonomy and regional pride • Strong regional clustering of black and white southerners – Lack of in-migration (due to little industrialization, slave-based or sharecropping economy) maintains homogeneity of “baptists”

American Religious Concentrations. Why? • Lutherans → Upper Midwest/Northern Great Plains – Northern Germans and Scandinavians bring Lutheranism • Cultural preadaptation attracted Northern Europeans – Migrants are attracted to a climate similar to their homelands because they know how to use that climate productively. » THEY KNOW HOW TO FARM IT! • RRs and state govts. recruited farmers (mid-to-late 1800 s) – Homestead Act – Chain migration occurred as relatives continued to arrive. – Remained dominant because of a lack of in-migration • During the next great wave of European immigration (early 1900 s), few new immigrants with different religions came to Northern Great Plains – lack of industrialization, urbanization and/or economic opportunity besides farming – Physical environment is arid (lack of water) and cold which discouraged the inmigration of other religions (non-Lutherans) • Cultural homogeneity of Lutherans maintained

American Religious Concentrations. Why? • Mormons → Great Basin, Desert West, Utah – Internal migration for religious freedom, avoid persecution • Google Mormons, Joseph Smith, polygamy and Brigham Young – Remained dominant because of a lack of in-migration • Not industrialized/urbanized • Inhospitable climate = very dry/arid desert. • Cultural homogeneity of Mormonism maintained. – As families grow (high CBR) diffuses (relocation) outward to neighboring states (Idaho, Nevada etc. )

American Religious Concentrations. Why? • Catholics (2 clusters) – Northeast, Rust Belt • Germans (some Southern Catholic) & Irish Catholics (mid-1800 s) • Early 1900 s immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe – See migration for push/pull factors for above groups. • Why Northern cities? – Industrial jobs – Southwestern US/US-Mexican border • How does this reflect Gravity model and Ravenstein’s laws? • Proximity to Latin American source area of origin – Repeal of quota laws/Latin America in stage 2 – Farm laborers, illegal immigration • Catholic Hispanics also in large cities outside of SW. – Reflects size factor in Gravity Model – Ravenstein Law #