Do Brits Know Our States?
Nov 28, 2013 12:23:52 #
I have loved geography ever since I was a child. In retirement, my wife and I have been doing a lot of traveling. We toured the British Isles and Ireland in August. Got to visit many English cities such as Chester, York, Liverpool, Bath, Newcastle, Stratford, Coventry and of course London.
I think I have a pretty good handle on where the cities are now.
In regards to the US, we have visited 46 states. Still trying to get to Oregon, Nevada, Kansas and North Dakota !
I think I have a pretty good handle on where the cities are now.
In regards to the US, we have visited 46 states. Still trying to get to Oregon, Nevada, Kansas and North Dakota !
Nov 28, 2013 12:25:31 #
amyinsparta wrote:
Stroudsburg, PA, where I taught for 28 years, is now little more than a bedroom community for eastern NJ and NYC. I had a girl in my 8th grade class that did not know there was a State of New York. She was from one of the boroughs and truly thought that NYC WAS New York. true story. So it easy for me to believe American students haven't a clue where THEY are, much less where the rest of the world is.
A large part of the problem, I think Amy, is that they stopped teaching Geography in schools, so some years ago when they did a test in New York, they asked students where Africa was and they placed it in Florida. Oohps.
Nov 28, 2013 12:28:42 #
SteveR wrote:
Well, I've heard of Yorkshire, but couldn't tell you where it is, either. So, I guess it works both ways.
Steve, as a native Yorkshire man, we used to call Yorkshire 'the Texas of England' because it is the largest county.
Nov 28, 2013 12:32:27 #
jimfullwood wrote:
Being a Brit who lives in the USA, in warm weather thankfully, I am amazed at how many Americans don't know what the United Kingdom actually is or the difference between Northern Ireland and Eire. Having said that I know there are lots of English people who have never been North of Manchester.
Why would anyone go to Manchester, let alone North of it, you'll be suggesting we (gulp) visit Scotland next.
Nov 28, 2013 12:35:56 #
KW Conch wrote:
I have loved geography ever since I was a child. In retirement, my wife and I have been doing a lot of traveling. We toured the British Isles and Ireland in August. Got to visit many English cities such as Chester, York, Bath, Newcastle, Stratford and of course London.
I think I have a pretty good handle on where the cities are now.
I think I have a pretty good handle on where the cities are now.
If you ever go again KW and you go near Newcastle, don't miss Durham. It's cathedral is magnificent. It rivals Lincoln cathedral and of course Westminster Abbey.
Nov 28, 2013 12:41:41 #
Spindrift62 wrote:
Why would anyone go to Manchester, let alone North of it, you'll be suggesting we (gulp) visit Scotland next.
For a good audiovisual tour of England and Scotland, view the series on YouTube called "great British railway journeys, with Michael Portillo.' Its very entertaining.
Nov 28, 2013 12:45:35 #
pedalmasher wrote:
Most American kids don't know where Africa is on a map of the world.
Everyone should know - with all the African-Americans its North America where we live.
Nov 28, 2013 12:45:37 #
dundeelad wrote:
If you ever go again KW and you go near Newcastle, don't miss Durham. It's cathedral is magnificent. It rivals Lincoln cathedral and of course Westminster Abbey.
Thanks for the information dundeelad. I would love to see the cathedral. We saw many castles and cathedrals during our visit and we thought they were all beautiful.
We were in Newcastle to see some of the remains of Hadrian's Wall.
Nov 28, 2013 12:48:49 #
KW Conch wrote:
Thanks for the information dundeelad. I would love to see the cathedral. We saw many castles and cathedrals during our visit and we thought they were all beautiful.
We were in Newcastle to see some of the remains of Hadrian's Wall.
We were in Newcastle to see some of the remains of Hadrian's Wall.
You are most welcome KW.
Nov 28, 2013 13:16:37 #
Or much about Canada which is right next door.
pedalmasher wrote:
Most American kids don't know where Africa is on a map of the world.
Nov 28, 2013 13:19:16 #
While maybe the Americans may not know much about England, one must put a couple of thing into perspective.
England being circa 700 miles long, could fit close to twice and more inside the height the US (over 1500) and only being 300 miles wide vs 3000 miles; would make it 10x as wide. This is only the continental US. With this in mind, we have 20 times as much information to know of our own location that you do. Point - you have more time to deal in trivia out side your sphere of influence.
Example there are 137 Island in Hawaii but 8 main ones. Being one of the 50 states we have, can you name 6 of the eight?
Another point, we are always in the news and especially our large cities, even world wide. Whether LA, San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Atlanta, NYC, Boston, Dallas. In the world news, London is usually the only major city mentioned when talking of England internationally. How often does Manchester gets into the international news or any of the other large cities? I'm not saying English cities are unimportant cities, I'm saying they rarely get into the news to are covered by an old adage "out of sight; out of mind". Your population gets bombarded with news from American cities, while rarely is the news from English cities make international headlines to bring to front and center where the English cities are. Or at lest curiosity to look them up from time to time.
Point to be taken. I was very good in geography when I was in school. Knew S. America, N. America, Africa, Europe, Asia. But for an example Africa is totally unknown to me today, because it seems it has constantly has changes with in its boundaries. Even Europe has many new changes with the break up of countries. Why learn them if tomorrow they are changed, especially when I have no invested interest other than trivia.
This post is really nothing but trivia.
England being circa 700 miles long, could fit close to twice and more inside the height the US (over 1500) and only being 300 miles wide vs 3000 miles; would make it 10x as wide. This is only the continental US. With this in mind, we have 20 times as much information to know of our own location that you do. Point - you have more time to deal in trivia out side your sphere of influence.
Example there are 137 Island in Hawaii but 8 main ones. Being one of the 50 states we have, can you name 6 of the eight?
Another point, we are always in the news and especially our large cities, even world wide. Whether LA, San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Atlanta, NYC, Boston, Dallas. In the world news, London is usually the only major city mentioned when talking of England internationally. How often does Manchester gets into the international news or any of the other large cities? I'm not saying English cities are unimportant cities, I'm saying they rarely get into the news to are covered by an old adage "out of sight; out of mind". Your population gets bombarded with news from American cities, while rarely is the news from English cities make international headlines to bring to front and center where the English cities are. Or at lest curiosity to look them up from time to time.
Point to be taken. I was very good in geography when I was in school. Knew S. America, N. America, Africa, Europe, Asia. But for an example Africa is totally unknown to me today, because it seems it has constantly has changes with in its boundaries. Even Europe has many new changes with the break up of countries. Why learn them if tomorrow they are changed, especially when I have no invested interest other than trivia.
This post is really nothing but trivia.
Nov 29, 2013 13:49:47 #
DebAnn wrote:
Or much about Canada which is right next door.
I bet lots of Americans have now heard of Toronto and its famous mayor Bob!
Nov 29, 2013 14:01:50 #
More accurately described as infamous! His name is Rob and I wish he'd disappear.
Pentaxian wrote:
I bet lots of Americans have now heard of Toronto and its famous mayor Bob!
Nov 29, 2013 14:59:54 #
oldmalky
Loc: West Midlands,England.
KW Conch wrote:
I have loved geography ever since I was a child. In retirement, my wife and I have been doing a lot of traveling. We toured the British Isles and Ireland in August. Got to visit many English cities such as Chester, York, Bath, Newcastle, Stratford and of course London.
I think I have a pretty good handle on where the cities are now.
I think I have a pretty good handle on where the cities are now.
Cities now have either Cathedral or University or both, another beautiful Cathedral is the one at Bath, one other thing Stratford is not a City just a town.
Nov 29, 2013 15:28:33 #
wonkytripod wrote:
It's just below heaven (it is known as gods own country)
Hmm I thought that was the Upper Peninsula of Michigan? Maybe there is more than one
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