Cultural patterns established 400 years ago in settler populations persist to the present day: New England settlers from Southern England valued education and civic participation, while Appalachian settlers from the Scots-Irish border valued military service and honor; these differences correlate with modern outcomes in education, crime, and military service.
causalpending
Speaker
David BrooksEvidence Quote
“And to this day, people in Appalachia commit more crimes, are more likely to be in the military, have lower educational levels than people in New England. And so that's 400 years of cultural stability.”
Source
How America Recovers from All This | Yale Conversations with David Brooks | Yale University— Yale Jackson School of Global AffairsCreated: 8/12/2026, 6:23:19 PM
My Notes
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