Greater New England as Cultural Borderland: A Critical Appraisal

Randy William Widdis | BIG Research Reports | #22

There exists in the historical literature considerable debate over the idea of a “Greater New England” encompassing the Atlantic region of Canada and New England. While much of the debate has centered on cross border flows of goods, people and capital, particularly during the pre-Revolutionary period, it is culture, I believe, that many view as being most important in the creation of the idea or ideal of an Atlantic borderland. This article addresses the question of whether or not culture, or more specifically, cultural diffusion, has produced a cultural  borderland in this part of North America.

Randy William Widdis