How the States got their shapes (Part 4: A "State" of rebellion)

Have you ever wonder how some of our states are shaped the way they are, or why? Well, a one-time documentary series called "How the States got their shapes" on the History Channel tried to answer some of those questions about them.

This is Part 4 of a 7-part wiki series about this documentary where I tell you what was talked about on some of those episodes, and I'll give my own opinion on it, or know what the episodes didn't tell you. In the episode; A "State of Rebellion", Brian talks about America's rebellion heritage, and how it shaped some of our states (like Texas and South Carolina).

## A "State" of rebellion

Here in the United States, we were born to be rebels as we wanted to have our own affairs. Throughout America's history, rebels have tried to fight against the powers that be.

We fought the Brits in the American Revolution. The Texans fought against the Mexicans during the Texas Revolution, and the Confederacy fought against the Union in the Civil War.

Even today, there are many Americans (as well as foreigners) who have this rebel fervor, and will do anything to make sure they live their lives on their own terms.

### Smoking Guns

In the first part of this episode, Brian goes to Montana where he meets a few proud owners of guns, and even to a shop where they sold antiques.

Montana is the number 3 state of having the most gun owners (behind Wyoming and Alaska), and with this, Montana still has that rebellion attitude.

Now, guns still divide us as a nation and culturally. But there's one thing you should keep in mind that back in 19th Century US, guns were a way of life, your prized gun (either it be the Smith & Wesson Colt .45 pistol or the Winchester Lever-action rifle) was your first, last, and only line of defense against any kind of hostilities (either it be Native Americans, outlaws, or even wildlife), because most of the west during the early part of the 19th century weren't organized states like they are today, they were still territories and it's unlikely that any kind of law enforcement would be there to help you, so you had to make sure you can not just take care of yourself, but also defend yourself. Because this episode talks about Montana, it also talks about one of these "Old West" towns; Bannack.

Bannack was created because gold was founded in the nearby mountains, and a bonanza was set up. Bannack was quite a dangerous town, not to come into but to walk out of, especially if you found a hunk of gold in the nearby mountains, because there were outlaws who would stalk the miners and just stay in or around the saloons and would rob and sometimes murder the miners.

Because this was taken place at the same time as the American Civil War, a lot of people from the CSA came to this town, this is when the USA would set up sponsoring stage trains to get some people from the north into town keep the southerners in check.

Montana was once a part of Idaho (in the form of the Idaho Territory) and Bannack had a big problem with travel and communication with the territorial capital which was on the far side of the bitter root mountains (a capital which would be known as Boise), so Bannack wanted to become its own capital, in 1864 Montana's governor; Sidney Edgerton went back to Washington DC with huge hunks of gold to separate Montana from Idaho, and even added more land to Montana (as the original border was supposed to be at the crest of the Bitter Root Mountains).

Brian even talked to a man who (somewhat) makes guns for a living, the only problem is that the guy doesn't have an official permit to make guns (and federal law requires it). Funny enough, what this guy Brain talks to is hoping for is that a new law passes so he can finish his works, and even sell them.

Even today, most of the western US is "federal land", and thi is because the west was "federal" (meaning the Government owned the land before giving it to private owners, or state municipalities), around 40% of Montana is still owned by the Government, and this doesn't sit well with most of Montana's proud gun owners.

### Smoking Meat

In this part of the episode, Brain goes to the Carolinas (north and south), first he goes to South Carolina where it has deep routes with rebellion.

Now, a lot of Americans know that South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union in 1860, as well as see the American Civil War begin where Ft. Sumter was attacked by Confederate troops. But it was actually during the American Revolution where South Carolina's rebel heritage began. After the Battle of Bunker Hill in which the colonial rebels had to retreat, and the Brits wanted to take more of the American colonies.

Though, what I don't like when the guy the show was talking to as if the colonial rebels at Bunker Hill were cowards, the real reason why they retreated because they ran out of ammo, not because they were cowards.

Anyway, South Carolina actually jump started American independence as they kicked out their colonial governor and even elected their own President before July 4, 1776. South Carolina saw the Siege of Savage's Oil Fields on November 19, 1775, the Snow Campaign and the Battle of Great Cane Break a month later. It wasn't until the Battle of Sullivan's Island on June 28, 1776 is where the colonial rebels built a defense around the island by using the local Palmetto Trees (not to be confused with Palm Trees) which did surprisingly well against the canon balls the British used to try (and fail) against the rebel stronghold on the island.

This episode also talks (a lot) about barbecue, now I don't know what barbecue has to do with rebellion. Perhaps a lot of American Barbecue is in a lot of "rebel states". Brian goes to North Carolina to talk about barbecue, for the Carolinas they're in partial with pork barbecue, and that is because a lot of farms back then had to kill their pigs in the winter, and they had some food supply during the winter. Brian also talks to one of the owners of one of these barbecue places in North Carolina who talks about the history of Carolina Barbecue, and even how North and South Carolina have different ingredients of Barbecue sauce. Because of this, Brian had to eat this Carolina Barbecue, and he was "trying" to think that he \*has\* to eat it, but he did enjoy it.

### Brief history of Texas

Brian then goes to Texas, that's because you can't talk about American Rebels without talking about Texas. Why? Because Texas was its own country.

I have covered the history of Texas being its own republic in previous wiki pages. From 1836 when it won it's independence from Mexico, to 1845 when it was admitted into the United States, Texas was its own nation (and even today, it feels like its \*still\* it's own nation), but did they want to be their own nation in the first place? As I also covered in the past, Texas was apart of Mexico, and when it allowed immigration from the US, but then banned it when the American population outnumbered the Mexicans, and then the iron-fisted Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana became dictator of Mexico, and revolt began to spread across Mexico (which included Texas), after Santa Ana's surprise attack on the Alamo, Sam Houston led a rebellion in the Battle of San Jancinto which was a huge win for Texas. The problem was that the United States wasn't ready to take in Texas since the problem with slavery was still prolific at this time, and Americans in Texas were slave owners (not to mention outlaws, and other crooked people), so instead of going back to Mexico, Texas decided to be make it on its own for nearly a decade before the US "finally" took Texas in as the 28th State. Eventhough today, Texans want to see their beloved state become its own nation once more, but when Texas was its own nation, it was in a very shaky position, economically speaking, Texas was in debt up to its eyeballs, and a lot of the land owners were given the lands they were promised. Even as Texas became a state in 1845, it still had problems such as slavery, its land it occupied (as its western border was all the way to the Rio Grande river and it reached into modern day Wyoming, so Texas gave up some of its land to the US Government in exchange for money, and even what is now the Oklahoma Panhandle to compromise with the free states. There was even one time where the US Government wanted to divide Texas into 5 smaller states, but this is where "The Lone Star" state put its foot down.

Today, Texas has its very own oil fields (like my home state of New Jersey) and even its own power grid, and pays less for it then the national average. The reason for this is because Texas was very instrumental in America's great production capabilities during World War 2 as Texas needed the electricity and oil for the Tanks and Bombers the Allies used.

Even when Brian was in Texas, he had to talk about barbecue (why, I don't know), but at least in Texas, there is some history behind it. Unlike South Carolina and other places in the US, Texas' livestock consisted of Cattle, and they would slaughter the Cattle to make a meal by using a slow burning fire. Then, German immigrants came to Texas and they have learned some of the barbecuing techniques, even in Texas, there was secession movements from within Texas as the German immigrants wanted their own state called "Adelsverein".

Okay, maybe barbecue does have to do with rebellion.

Brian then heads to Houston for a brief generalization of the city. Why? Because Houston is the only city in the US that doesn't have "zoning laws", as in where to put certain buildings, and what owners can adorn his/her house with beer cans, or even have an amusement park right next to a beach house. Several times, Houston had a chance to vote on zoning laws, but each time the city said, no way.

### Show me the barbecue

For the last part of the episode, Brian goes to Kansas City, Missouri. That is because of the state's nickname; "The Show Me State" (which has nothing about being a rebel) but they want, evidence, proof. Brian goes to Missouri to finish out the episode's fetish for barbecue.

Kansas City is home to one of the country's most famous barbecue places; Arthur Bryant's. Because Kansas City is basically in the middle of the country, and it's a huge rail hub, it brought along some great barbecue traditions from all over the country, namely the beef barbecue from Texas and the pork barbecue from the Carolinas.

If I were to visit Kansas City, I would be sure to go to Arthur Bryant's, because it sounds like great place.

Well, that'll do it for this page. In our next page (click here) we will talk about the episodes where (in some ways) religion has made some of the states such as Kansas and Utah. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.