1. Religion (Christianity)

2. The Distribution of Christianity in America

4. Map is mid-leading, overstating the strength of Catholicism
Shows dominant religion in each county, but the county is overall more Protestant than Catholic.
counties where Catholics are over 25%.
25% Catholics
20% Methodists
20% Lutheran
20% Baptist
15% other
75% of people are Protestant, but it would come out with a Catholic coloring. Map is accurate that Catholicism has more adherents than any other religion, but it is slightly deceiving

7. 4 main clusterings of religion in U.S.?
S.E. U.S. = ?
Baptist
Utah/Great Basin/Desert West = ?
Mormons
Upper Midwest/N. Great Plains = ?
Lutherans
Catholics = ? (2 main clusters)
Northeast / large cities of Rustbelt
Southwest

9. 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”

10. 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 1800s)
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 1900s), 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 in-migration of other religions (non-Lutherans)
Cultural homogeneity of Lutherans maintained

12. 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.)

14. American Religious Concentrations. Why?
Catholics (2 clusters)
Northeast, Rust Belt
Germans (some Southern Catholic) & Irish Catholics (mid-1800s)
Early 1900s 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 #