In the book American Nations, describe some important incident, historical figure, cultural value, or movement Woodard mentions that you knew...

In American Nations, Colin Woodard asserts that there are 11 separate cultural regions within the United States. There are many features of these regional cultures and what helped define them that might be unfamiliar to the reader.

For example, in the section on New Netherland, Woodard discusses how New York City was affected by Dutch ideas, including tolerance of diversity. As the Dutch were leaders in world trade at the time they founded New Netherland, the city became a center of trade, which led to multiculturalism, a commitment to freedom of thought, and an emphasis on materialism. These values have affected New York City, as it is still a center of publishing, culture, and the arts, and it is also a magnet for immigrants from around the world. Woodard also discusses the cultural values that have defined other regions such as Yankeedom (today's New England), founded by Calvinists. Their emphasis on perfecting the world led them to champion reform movements and to concentrate on fields such as government and education. These values have been important in creating reform movements that have changed the country, such as abolitionism. Reading about the founding of each region helps the reader understand how they've developed and what their current cultures are like.