Most people, especially Texans, can agree that everything is better in Texas. Texas is a large and wonderful state to live and go to college. However, there is one controversial question about the state: Is Texas the South or the Midwest? Although many people tend to believe Texas is the South, there is also a fair argument for the other side too.

The argument that Texas is a Southern state is solid and backed up well with history. In the antebellum period, Texas had a 30 percent slave population and voters in the state voted overwhelmingly to secede from the Union during the Civil War.

Due to the fact that the Confederate States of America consisted of only deep Southern states, Texas should be included in that bunch. Most importantly, most parts of Texas has a Southern culture. Politically Texas is also very aligned with the South in that it is and will probably always be a red state.

On the flip, there is some evidence that Texas is very well the Midwest. Even though culturally and politically Texas is referred to the South, geographically it’s a little questionable. Texas is very much in the middle of the country and has large has a fair share of land facing the West. Culturally East Texas, is highly southern since it is right next to Louisiana. However, the farther west you go in Texas the thickness of the accent decreases and the people seem to have their own “Texas” mindset.

I asked a few students how they felt about this question, and I got a range of answers. Senior Esther Liu stands by the idea that Texas is in fact the South “geographically, I would argue that Texas is part of the South – apart from Florida and Baja California (if that even counts as part of the States) – we reach farther south than any other state.

Historically and culturally, Texas has been aligned more with the South, especially looking at its Confederate days. Dallas itself is not a very Southern city – but overall, I would say the bulk of Texas is “Southern.”

Lastly, Hailey Dunn, also a junior, has a unique position on this. She stated that, “Texas is Texas neither South nor West.” As for me, I agree more with Hailey. Just like how I believe Texas is nothing short of a great State, I also believe that Texas is unique within itself, and those two go hand in hand.

Ladner is a junior majoring in political science, English and Russian.