With its stagnating economy, Alabama is one of the poorer states in the USA. The history of this region is reflected very strongly in the voting behavior of the population.
- Alabama played a central role in the American Civil War.
- The economy of the US state is primarily characterized by agriculture.
- The 22nd state has been the stronghold of one of the top parties in the United States for decades.
Montgomery – The US state of Alabama bears the unofficial name “Heart of Dixie” (heart of the south) in addition to the names “Cotton State” and “Goldhammer State”. This dates back to the time of the American Civil War, when Alabama was part of the breakaway southern states and Montgomery was the Confederate capital.
- ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG: Overview of state Alabama, including major cities and most commonly used abbreviations of Alabama.
Alabama – History and Formation of the 22nd State
Alabama takes its name from a Choctaw Indian tribe. French settlers from the 16th century tried to pronounce the Indian name and thus coined the similar-sounding name Alabama.
A lot has happened in what is now the US state since then:
- In 1763 the French gave up Alabama and most of it fell to the English.
- From 1798 Alabama was part of the Mississippi Territory.
- 1817 was followed by the establishment of the Alabama Territory.
- In 1819 Alabama became the 22nd state to join the United States.
- In 1861 it left the confederation and formed the Confederate States of America together with the other southern states.
- From 1861 to 1865 Alabama supported the Confederate States in the Civil War.
- In 1868 Alabama was again admitted to the United States’ confederation.
In the 20th century, Alabama’s history is shaped by the global economic crisis. After the Second World War, violent unrest raged in the US state, which brought about the abolition of racial segregation called for by civil rights activists. The best-known representatives of this movement were Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, who were then living in Montgomery.
Alabama: About Geography and Location
Alabama is in the southern United States. The US state borders Georgia to the east, Tennessee to the north, and Mississippi to the west. To the south are the Gulf of Mexico and Florida.
Due to the geography, there is a temperate climate in the north and inland. In the south, subtropical conditions dominate. Because of this warm and humid climate, many cyclones form in Alabama. It is part of Tornado Alley, also called “Dixie Alley” in these latitudes.
Alabama and its largest cities
According to COUNTRYAAH.COM, the major cities in Alabama are:
- Birmingham with 212, 237 inhabitants
- Montgomery with 205, 764 inhabitants
- Mobile with 195, 111 inhabitants
- Huntsville with 180, 105 residents
Alabama: This is how the population is composed
The US state Alabama has around 4, 863, 300 residents. That’s 35 people per square kilometer. The population consists of the following groups:
- 4% whiteness
- 3% African American
- 3% Latinos
- 0% Asian Americans
- 4% Indians
Alabama: A Look at the Economy
The 22nd state mainly produces cotton, corn, sugar cane, tobacco and potatoes and breeds pigs and cattle. The automotive industry and technology branches are also flourishing pillars of the economy.Nevertheless, Alabama is one of the poorest and structurally weakest states in the USA.
Alabama and the Elections – Trends and Backgrounds
The voting behavior of the population of Alabama has changed dramatically since the beginning of the 20th century.
From 1828 the region was firmly in the hands of the democratic party. Apart from Ulysses S. Grants, the Democratic candidate always won the presidential election in Alabama until 1960.
From the 1950s onwards, the Democrats increasingly campaigned for the abolition of racial segregation. This displeased large sections of the population and from 1964 they increasingly turned to the Republicans. Alabama has maintained this political direction to this day.
Since this US state, together with neighboring Mississippi, has the lowest percentage of swing voters in North America, this trend will most likely continue in the current elections.
