presidents

Mapping US Presidents

Wait But Why published this map in his two-part blog, "It's Going to be Okay." 

Dividing the two groups of men by political parties seemed too simple - almost unfair.

So I Googled "maps of US Presidents" and found this one:

The Washington Post printed this one:

Both were enlightening in terms of how closely most of our presidents were raised and educated and in which part of the country seems to raise up presidential leaders, but neither gave a deeper understanding in terms of specifics - did all republican presidents come from the south? Can a state produce a president from both parties? Is our country divided so simply?

This one gave a bit more clarity:

The Washington Post also added this, A few interesting observations:

* Ohio is the birthplace of seven presidents, second only to Virginia's eight. But, Ohio hasn't elected a president since Warren Harding in 1920. And Harding didn't even last a full term, dying in 1923. (Random Warren Harding factoid: His size 14 shoes were the largest of any president.)

* Texas' two native-born presidents aren't who you think they are.  Neither George H.W. Bush (Massachusetts) nor George W. Bush (Connecticut) were born in the Lone Star State. The two? Lyndon Johnson and Dwight Eisenhower. (Eisenhower was born in Denison, Texas.)

* Vermont is the smallest state with the biggest presidential punch as the birthplace of both Chester Arthur and Calvin Coolidge.

* California has produced only a single president -- and it was Republican Richard Nixon.

From these simple maps, I wonder if a few more observations, or perhaps reminders, can be made:

* Defining a man or woman based on their political party is too simple and unfair

* We may disagree on many things, but we are all united on at least on BIG thing - we're all Americans, and we all want what's best for our country.

* Although Hillary may not have been the best fit, it is time for a female president

* We've survived many presidents, good and bad, and have endured several hardships. There's no reason to think we won't continue to do so.

* Unless we fail to come together, when we forget that we're white and black and everything in between, We are protestant, Jew, gentile, Muslim, and atheist. We're Republicans. We're Democrats. And we're neither. But above all, we're Americans. And above even that, we're human.

* When we allow the smaller differences to define us, we lose sight of all that we have in common. And when we simplify the larger differences, we ignore the many small and beautiful ways that we are similar.