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The Mason-Dixon Line is an actual line. You don't get to debate where it's located, it was surveyed in the 1760s, drawn on the map, and it hasn't moved since.
What you guys seem to be debating is "where is the dividing line between north and south?" That's a different question, and it has nothing to do with the Mason-Dixon Line, unless that line is where you think the division is.
arguably the biggest factor is settlement patterns. the route west via the Ohio River, the first settled in the region, came largely from Virginia and the accents and the character of the southern portions of IL, IN, and OH reflect that.
Its definitely in the south (southern Illinois) I mean southern Illinois doesn’t just touch northern Kentucky, like Ohio, it touches nearly Kentucky’s southern most point and goes more south geographically then West Virginia And much or Virginia. Unfortunately the line is so vague and doesn’t go west ..... but let’s use common sense and just take a ruler and continue drawing that lime west, than southern Illinois would not just undoubtedly be the south (just the lack of midwestern cornfields and rocky terrain and pine trees and the southern accents there that are stronger than many north and South Carolinaians let u see that fact via common sense with your own eyes and ears). But its even more interesting because if u take that like line and continue it west, not just southern Illinois would be the south, but nearly half the state, from central Illinois (give or take) down would be the south (I mean just central Illinois is just as south as Virginia).... its what ya gotta do Since that line was made before Illinois was hardly a state and before many ppl had traveled even slightly west..... basically made when there were 13 colonies..... and without a doubt regardless of what that vague ancient line says, Delaware and Maryland aren’t even remotely the south, hell, practically northern Illinois is more south than their southern most points. Illinois stands for those without and accent or those who speak right (one or the other), and that is very true other than Chicagoland and southern Illinois ..... they speak without an accent (a country accent to chicagoians and esp north easterners) and 80% of the state is rural (regardless of north south east west), and its a rare state that has a total north end (chi), Total southern end, total western end and Easter end, its so much different accents a culture (unlike Wisconsin and Michigan where do you will hear that nasally great lakes accent anywhere you go). But that nasally accent isn’t a Midwest accent ..... only the northern Great Lakes parts of IL has it and only Great Lakes part of Midwest has it (Ohio and mich shouldn’t be Midwest), a midwestern accent is Neutral. 80% of states rural and 80% live an hour from city..... but even in the non southern and western parts of Illinois, nearly every three families is from KY, TN, AK, no joke.... but now that ppl are leaving IL its less true.... though IL r moving out southerners are moving in.... use to be bc of jobs but now I think since IL is so broke its bc of how over populated the south is.
I'd say in Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, I-70 isn't perfect, but is a pretty darn close indicator for dividing the north and the south. In CO, KS, and PA, I'd agree, not the best divider.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Where I live in far Southern Indiana accents are a mix of Southern and Midwestern. It's not 100% of either.
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