What is the Mason-Dixon line?
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- Опубліковано 31 тра 2024
- Mr. Beat tells the story of the Mason-Dixon line.
Don't forget to check out @NameExplain's video about why we call the American South "Dixie:" • The Name The USA Wants...
Produced by Matt Beat and Beat Productions, LLC. All images/video by Matt Beat, Shannon Beat, found in the public domain, or used under fair use guidelines. Music by NoMBe, Bad Snacks, Corbyn Kites, and E's Jammy Jams.
Creative commons credits: Joe Mabel and Jonathunder.
Here's an annotated script with footnotes: docs.google.com/document/d/1k...
Sources/further reading:
Drawing the Line: How Mason and Dixon Surveyed the Most Famous Border in America by Edwin Danson
Purchase here: amzn.to/3H2RfAp
Mason-Dixon: Crucible of the Nation by Edward Gray
Purchase here: amzn.to/42QNEzi
How the States Got Their Shapes by Mark Stein
Purchase here: amzn.to/3SP8V7Y
web.archive.org/web/201712300...
history.howstuffworks.com/his...
www.monongaliacounty.gov/depa...
www.alltrailsMason Dixon Historical Park.com/trail/us/west-virginia/m-d-marker-trail
visitgreene.org/explore/1262/...
www.popularmechanics.com/scie...
historycooperative.org/mason-...
www.hup.harvard.edu/features/...
web.archive.org/web/201712010...
philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/...
southwarkhistory.org/why-the-...
pabook.libraries.psu.edu/lite...
www.gpsworld.com/mapping-the-...
Related videos:
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• We drove the Oregon Tr...
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• What Is Systemic Racism?
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#ushistory #apush #history
The Mason-Dixon line was originally just the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania. Now, a DISPUTED border between the two now states but former colonies, but more on that in a bit.
This border was so important that it later became known as the boundary between Southern slave states and Northern free states in the decades before the American Civil War.
Heck, even AFTER the American Civil War it was a big deal, and even today this border marks a significant cultural divide in the United States.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:28 The Pennsylvania-Maryland border dispute
2:33 Mason and Dixon to the rescue
8:16 How the Mason-Dixon line became a thing
13:00 The Mason-Dixon line today
If your name is Mason or Dixon, please comment below.
Don't forget to check out Name Explain's video: ua-cam.com/video/ZG1WEtCVRIg/v-deo.html&t
Yo.❤
Who's this Mason Dixon and why do they like lines so much?
I am Mason. Do I get a prize?
My name is Mason Dixon!
I must compliment your audio, for outdoor recording. Well done for the total package.
Fun fact: As a Marylander, I've found that a lot of people assume that the state nickname "The Old Line State" is based on the Mason-Dixon Line, when it's actually based on the 1st Maryland Regiment, led by William Smallwood in the revolutionary war, which ended up (arguably) saving the Continental Army and the revolution as a whole at the Battle of Long Island.
Well dang, I guess that needs to be a video as well!
@@iammrbeatyes please make that video
That'd genuinely make me so happy!
@@iammrbeat Actually yeah that's a great topic, details about the revolutionary war.
@@iammrbeatyes
I was in a cemetery in Philadelphia to see Ben Franklin's grave. I found it, took my photo, and was walking out when I saw a weird looking headstone. It looked like a square cube. I stopped to check it out, and there was a plaque on the front of it. It was Charles Mason's grave, and they used an original Mason-Dixon stone to be his headstone!
+
and now I am on a quest to see this headstone.
@@patrickwentz8413 Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia
That’s pretty cool.
Cool fact!
The FTPCC alternates washingtons birthday commemorations at Christ Church and St Peter's alternate every other year
Mr. Beat’s commitment is impressive: “Hiking in the name of teaching history.”
I love hiking anyway so it was really two interests in one! :)
@@iammrbeat Best of both worlds, my good Sir!
Aloha 😊🤙🏼👏🏼
My grandmother once told me a story that when they were surveying, Mason drank out of a jar and Dixon drank out of a cup and that's why we have Mason Jars and Dixie cups. She was a little strange, but we loved her.
that’s as good a story as any other American myth. two cheers for grandma hip hip hooray! hip hip hooray! 😂 hey! I’d sooner believe grandma than I would the “I chopped down the cherry tree, cannot tell a lie” schtick. 😊
@@clinthowe7629I think we say "Huzzah" because of the setting.
Awesome grandma!
I love your grandma! Would love to have a Dixie cup of tea with her, along with some jam out of a Main jar.
I am a survey party chief. I am watching this on my lunch break. It's incredible what was achieved with such primitive technology. Back then you would have to measure angles based on a compass and measure distances with a metal chain. Nowadays, we have total stations that can measure angles and distances at the same time with incredible accuracy and precision. Generally speaking, boundaries are defined by where the original surveyor put them, regardless of how inaccurate the original tools were. Even with modern technology, you cannot simply measure the literal bearings and distances defined by a legal description. Because of common law, you have to determine where the lines were originally drawn which reqiuires tremendous amounts of research which is a heavily misunderstood part of our profession. Thanks for this quality content!
FYI; The "stones" you are referring to are called "stone bounds." They are a type of survey monument.
Underrated comment. Thanks for sharing all that!
@@iammrbeat Damn, if this had only not been a collab vid so you cud pin this underrated comment :3
So my apologies but, I find it very frustrating when people refer to essentially anything previous civilizations as "primitive technology". Because I feel it severely undermines the intelligence those civilizations, and our species as a whole. Because as with every period throughout our existence, the resources, tools, and so on where state of the art for its period. Honestly I feel most of my frustration stems from ancient aliens, and how they really kind of insult the human species by claiming humans from 400 A.D. where too primitive. Thus external resources must explain these structures and so on.
I’m a field crew chief too! You are absolutely correct. I feel like your average person does not know much about how land surveying works lol. I don’t know if most people even step into a public records room unless they’re getting a marriage license from the clerk’s office or they’re meeting with a title examiner.
Thankfully Mr Beat makes topics like this fun and educational!
@@bigrigcrunchberry966 Fair enough. Is "outdated technology" a better term?
he never misses a beat.
:)
Lol ❤ he misters a beat
Well, he's not called Miss Beat after all
No! Stop it!
I remember the Mason-Dixon line being a point of contention between Bugs Bunny and Colonel Sam in “Southern Fried Rabbit”.
“Gotta burn my boots - they touched Yankee soil!”
Look me up at my Gettysburg address
@@charlespomfret7207 That was such a great line!!
Mr Beat, I love your videos; I'm 72, and I learn a lot from you. Thank you.
Me too, and I'm 52!
I wish Mr. Beat was my History teacher in the 80's !
Thank YOU
You are very welcome! Keep teaching us!💖@@iammrbeat
The Mason-Dixon line is definitely a good tool for distinguishing between the historical north and south, but as a Marylander myself, I find that in modern times, the cultural boundary between the north and south is somewhere around Fredericksburg, VA, as in my experience, cities like Baltimore and DC are a lot more culturally and economically connected to cities like Philly and NY than to cities like Charlotte and Atlanta.
As a Marylander, I would certainly agree. There was nothing Southern about growing up in Montgomery County, MD. Southern culture was in fact quite alien.
Thats because since 1990's Maryland and Delaware have been invaded by yankee horde ! Mostly from NY State !
As a Northern Virginian, if you ask most of us. You don't hit the south until you leave Fairfax and Loudoun Co. 😅
This makes sense
That is the more modern border of the south. The DMV is kinda the last big blue bastion before you get into the red states/regions.
I always thought it was south of Manassas myself
@@indianguy2276 that sir is 💯 fact Prince William County IS the south lol
As a deep southerner I always saw Virginia as THE neutral ground, not truly southern or northern. I know it sounds corny but it is honest. Usually I just lump Virginia with West Virginia & Kentucky as "Appalachia". It works well.
I grew up in south central Pennsylvania right above the mason dixon, I used to backpack the mason dixon trail along the susquehanna river all the time growing up. Been following this channel for years now, pretty cool to see a video on this.
That is pretty awesome.
Are you a York County or Lancaster guy? I’m a Solanco guy myself
@@Retrievinggold York county, right across the Norman Wood bridge from you lol
@@Atrainfrey heck yeah man best place ever to grow up fishing and hiking running around the roads. It’s a shame everything is getting closed up after dark now cause of idiots destroying it
Mr Beat Presents:
Geographical straight lines in American History!
That curve slightly to match the curvature of the earth!
@@iammrbeatthat could be a great series, you could do a series on how states got their borders.
I see what you did there
@@njb1126 There's actually a really good book all about that. It's called "How the States Got Their Shapes" by Mark Stein.
@@Compucles Knowing Better also did one in 2017
Also Charles Mason was part of the survey of Mt Schiehallion, which allowed us to measure the weight of the Earth. His work helped Henry Cavendish determine that the Allegheny mountains might be causing errors in the measurements because of their gravity pulling on the instruments. Really good stuff these guys were doing.
Speaking as a Maryland native, it's always been weird to me that Maryland is technically considered a "Southern State". I get why; slave-owning state and all that, but culturally, in the modern day, not so much. Granted, I grew up in the urban corridor between Baltimore and DC, and I know that East of the Bay as well as in the Appalachians are much closer to the south in terms of culture, but the middle portion (where the majority of the population is) feels much closer to the likes of Pennsylvania, Delaware, or New Jersey than to Virginia or points South. I go down to visit the part of the family in Alabama, and we have very little in common.
As an aside, since you mentioned Supreme Court cases in this video, wanted to say that I recently learned about Pickering v. Board of Education, which I did not learn about in any of my US History classes (including AP US! The horror!). Looked for videos on it, but didn't see one from you, and that could be a fun one if you're looking for new ones to talk about. Always nice to see the court expand freedom of speech.
I grew up in South Jersey. Just slightly north of the line. Based off of the things I heard growing up, you would think it was the Deep South.
I agree with you! Maryland feels much more Northern than Southern these days.
Not to point out the obvious, but Harriet Tubman was fleeing Maryland and headed to Philadelphia, so Maryland you are Southern.
Yeah same. I'm from Delaware (Slower Lower to be specific). The southern half of the Delmarva Peninsula really seems like a little isolated pocket of "the South," as I don't think THE South really starts until you get into Virginia and such. But Sussex/Wicomico counties and the surrounding areas are definitely Southern in terms of culture.
@@laurat7232Also Frederick Douglass as well.
Who's that good look drawing that pops up in the video? Asking for a friend.
It's YOU
A bloody Limey and a bloody Yank making educational videos linked together.
Hey Parick! How you doing?
Yosemite Sam: “That’s the Mason-Dixon Line. And no Yankees are crossing!”
I have never known that I needed Mr. Beat to say "baiiiiiii" until today, and I am here for it
It's a good thing they drew that giant line behind themselves. I'm sure it made it easy to get home.
As many of your videos I've watched, I've never noticed how buff you are! You look great.
The line between getting sweet iced tea and unsweet iced tea.
Andrew Ellicott (actually pronounced Ell-ih-kitt by MD locals) was the nephew of another Andrew Ellicott, who was one of the founders of Ellicott City, MD
I wondered if there was a connection, thank you for clearing that up.
Just found this channel. Already know its gonna be one of my favorites
:)
How are you now just finding this fantastic channel? 😅
I’m not a surveyor but I work in urban planning/studies and I work closely with them. It’s so beautiful to know the field I work in helped my ancestors out in their journey up north.
When I was stationed in Albany, GA (USMC) the civilian workers called us Yankees. A lot. I asked several of them if they knew where the Mason - Dixon line was, since I’m a Maryland native. The general consensus was “It’s up around Macon somewhere.”
Thats pretty funny story JARHEAD , BTW SEMPER FI !
I live about 5 minutes south of the MD line in Manchester! Pass over it every week! Super cool living in an area with such rich history!!!
The weird thing is, Maryland isn't really considered part of the "South" anymore. Even the Census Bureau considers it part of the Northeast instead. I guarantee you that the vast majority of Americans have no idea that the Mason-Dixon Line is mainly just the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania, even they have all heard of it. So, no, the Mason-Dixon Line itself is NOT a major cultural boundary in America, anymore. Not the actual line, anyway. The idea of it is, for sure, but the cultural line it represents is much further south now.
I was taught that Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland were the Mid-Atlantic States; which combined with New York and the New England States made up the American Northeast Region.
@@Compucles Yep, exactly, me too!
Exactly. Maryland stayed in the Union and there is very little Southern culture in the state.
This is such an awesome video! Thank you Mr. Beat probably my favorite video you have ever made!!
Loved the video. I visited the marker a couple years ago at the southwest corner of Delaware. It was neat seeing a cluster of three markers there at the corner with Maryland. It would be neat to learn more about the 12 mile circle and the wedge oddities
I live a few miles from the end marker of the mason dixon line and till farms on both sides of the line in Delaware and Maryland
Definitely hit up the three states at white clay creek park a few times. It's still funny that people don't even know Delaware is a state.
Been binging Mr. Beat for like a week straight. Absolute GOAT
Yes!
i dont know why but im going on a binge of all your videos rn and theyre all really well put together and educational
1:25 It also marks roughly where north of the Mason-Dixon line, snow cover all winter long is a given
It does seem that way, doesn't it...
Mr. Beat, my Dude! I am So thrilled you did this. I’m from PA and I’m absolutely fascinated by the line-and resulting Cresap’s War. I’ve been a little confused why this wasn’t being discussed by historians-or anyone-in modern times; we didn’t learn much about this in school-aside from it being a brief dispute, of course.
So thank you for being one of those who Are talking about it. It might be smaller in comparison to other conflicts, but it’s fascinating
As always awesome research and fun presentation ✅ Thanks - We enjoy learning from your UA-cams.👏
I live in Evansville, IN where the Ohio River is the boundaries of the line! Back when I went to high school at FJ Reitz in town (which is on a hill with a superb view overlooking), we used to say we were the school closest to the Mason Dixon. Don’t know if that’s true, but definitely can tell cultural differences even between Henderson, KY and Evansville!
Yeah that Ohio River split is quite distinct.
Wasn't gonna comment, but that bit at the end convinced me. Also, love seeing two of my favorite educational UA-camrs connecting a little for something like this. I was born a little north of Philadelphia, but I've lived most of my life in Tennessee far south of the line.
Mr. Beat, I know you're probably back in Kansas or west Virginia, but a fan from northeast PA says hello. We have a lot of history and museums around here that are great. I have worked at my local museums just a small amount, and the records and artifacts we have are quiet extensive. If you ever run out of video ideas just come on down.
Me and my brother love your videos, keep up the great work!
Does he live in W. Virginia part of the time now?
@@DugrozReports He kept jumping across the border, so who knows where he is
Yo Mr. Beat great video m8! Youve been my favorite history channel for a while. Keep up the incredible work
Very cool. I'm from Texas and have heard it referred to my whole life but had no idea the history. Thanks Mr. Beat!
I, a proud Delawarean, am tickled just to have my tiny state mentioned. But I am a bit sad you didn't really mention the north/south part of the line that separates my state from those crab-eating Marylanders. Speaking of Delaware/Maryland, I am from a town at the southernmost point of Delaware called Delmar. It is actually a twin city, with there being a Delmar, Maryland and a Delmar, Delaware. Kind of like how there's Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas. It would be super cool to see you talk about the history of these twin cities that exist, as I find it interesting how cities can develop and spill over state (and possibly even national?) boundaries.
Dude! Have you ever been to Leipsic? Delaware has an active crab fishery and crab picking is a big cultural thing throughout Delaware and even SE PA although Maryland crows about having the best crabcakes, but you probably knew that once you thought about it.
You always make such interesting videos, I could watch you speak on just about any topic
Thank you. That comment means a lot!
I lived on both sides of the Mason Dixon Line. I first lived about four miles north of it in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania for the first six years and nine months of my life. Then I lived south of it since 1998.
I grew up in southern PA. There was a plaque on a nearby lawn that stated that Mason & Dixon gazed at the stars in this spot to help define where the line that bares their name would eventually be.
That's pretty cool!
@@iammrbeat Found it on google maps, www.google.com/maps/place/Stargazers'+Stone/@39.9387246,-75.7335973,16z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x89c65868df2c203d:0x7184d9bf5b1356f7!8m2!3d39.9392171!4d-75.732463!16s%2Fg%2F11gfnf_w9n?entry=ttu
Thomas Pynchon's novel _Mason and Dixon_ is an incredible fantasia built around the two surveyors. It's written in a mock-18th century style, it's full of Joaks Obvious and Obscure, and observations on science, politics, and the loss of magic. Pynchon is one of our greatest living writers, and this is one of his literary mountains. It was also the inspiration for Mark Knopfler's song "Sailing to Philadelphia."
Wow!! Great content. You show the power of “the UA-cam”,; giving a healthy dose of knowledge along with some humor and technical wizardry to help it go down!! Thanks.
Solo multi-camera work seems fun. Appreciate that you enjoy what you do, it seems.
Im a deep southerner and tbh i always felt Maryland and Delaware have more northern influence than southern. I see Virginia as a neutral ground and North Carolina is where the true south begins.
Really enjoy your content Sir !!! Congratulations on hitting 1 million subscribers !!! These history from location are so great !!! Keep on making great content. God Bless !!!
Hey Mr. Beat, don’t think we don’t notice those amazing gunz you hold that microphone, and point at stuff with! Great video per usual, sir.
When I was stationed at Leavenworth, Kansas I met a group of British Army officers and we got into a discussion about geography and I had a hard time explaining to them how difficult it was to know exactly where you were as a colonist in America. I used the Mason-Dixon line as an example. They thought I was a nincompoop. Wish I had this video.
Well, part of the difficulty comes from the fact that the colonies were still claiming parts outside their modern borders and people from them often agreed with those larger claims!
Heck, even after independence that stuff was still going on. It probably wasn't until almost a century after independence that most of the claims had been settled in the original 13 colonies-turned-states. Although, on occasion small border disputes have come to light even into the 21st century, but it's mostly more about definitions and accuracy rather than big land grabs like it used to be about.
One of the biggest disputes nowadays that I'm aware of seems to be between Georgia and Tennessee because it involves a river that could benefit Georgia. New Jersey had a dispute with New York about Ellis Island that they ended up settling in the Supreme Court in the 1990s. The Carolinas had one that they decided to work on their own, some houses had to change addresses because they were built in between the states.
Another great video. It's informative and entertaining. Rhank you, Mr. Beat.
Great vid! I live not far from the line in Elkton. Weather's been all over the place lately, so consider yourself lucky that you managed to record on a day without rain.
I'm from Northern Virginia, and am so far North that I am only technically from the South. Marylanders don't seem southern at all, even compared to my family from New England and Upstate New York. The actual cultural boundary in my experience between the North and South runs midway through Virginia, Maryland and Northern Virginia are entirely Northern
Said like someone who's never been west of Baltimore. Western Maryland makes NOVA look like a New York, the contrast in personality is so extreme.
I agree, northern Virginia is completely separated from the rest of Virginia politically economically culturally. There is no similarities and not to mention the rest of the state absolutely hates northern Virginia‘s guts and northern Virginia is just four counties, Loudoun Fairfax, Prince William, and Arlington with Loudoun County being the one in charge and let’s be honest these areas don’t even wanna consider themselves a part of Virginia but yet they make up
27% of Virginia’s population so The only way to fix this is if you give northern Virginia to Maryland or DC that would make a lot more sense
@mountaineernews2 Loudon isn't "in charge" whatever that's even supposed to mean, I've lived my whole life in Arlington and I couldn't even tell you if Loudon is in Virginia or Maryland it has no impact on me
@@kevincronk7981 well, I wouldn’t look it’s it that way you see what I mean by in charge I mean that Loudoun County has the most influence over the other northern Virginia counties and let’s just say that Loudoun County’s laws are basically identical, to Fairfax, prince Williams and your Arlington County‘s laws and many laws in Arlington County were copied or stolen from you. Guessed it, Loudoun. Because well, these four counties are basically sheep they do whatever they want with each other
@@kevincronk7981 well, OK yes Loudoun doesn’t have an impact on your day-to-day lives but in your county government it does you see most of Arlington County’s laws are usually copied or stolen from Loudoun County, and vice versa heck all Northern Virginia county steel laws from each other I don’t wanna get too deep in it because I don’t wanna bore you, but they’re actually a lot more similar than what meets the eye also Loudoun County is the richest county in the Country so there’s already a huge chunk of influence right there in Fairfax county is not far behind Loudoun County. In fact, all Northern Virginia counties are inside the top 10 for the wealthiest counties in the country.
Mr Beat… you are one brave man to do that introduction
How come?
You’re my absolute favorite UA-camr. Love your work.
Woahness! Thank you so much!
2 interesting and informative videos back to back? Mr. Beat treating us good!
I grew up in Pennsylvania and we used to go out hiking to look for those markers when I was in summer camp. Brings back memories!
I live right along the Mason-Dixon line and never knew the history behind it lol. Went on plenty of scouting trips out there, but never thought about why it was called that.
pogged video brother 🤙
Thanks for watching and the comment! And REPRESENT
Thank you for that much lighthearted yet erudite explanation. Excellent as always.
Mr Beat if you’ve never heard it go check out the song “Sailing to Philadelphia” by Mark Knopfler and James Taylor. Knopfler sings from the perspective of Jeremiah Dixon, and Taylor sings as Mason
I shall check it out. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
@@iammrbeat It's gorgeous.
"Well you're a good surveyor Dixon
but I swear you'll make me mad.
The West will kill us both
you gullible Geordie lad." 🙂
Fun Fact: If you see a German giggle when you say Dixieland: In Germany there is a very well known portable Toilet manufacturer called Dixi and is the commonly used name for all portable toilets. I, at least, always have to smile when I hear Dixieland :)
The vast majority of Marylanders and I believe most Southerners would not consider Maryland as part of the modern day south. (I’m a Marylander)
I'm a native, too. But I disagree.
@@beckysnead8914the SUTH WILL RAISE AGEINER
You have been poppin off recently Mr. Beat. Banger for banger
And the Beat goes on... a nature hike.
Love your channel. I always learn something new or interesting. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much!
Great insight about their astronomical background, and also how other people finished the survey. Always great content!
The quakers actually encouraged immigration of Presbyterians from Scotland and Ireland to settle along the border as the Catholics of Maryland were stealing so much from them and the other nonviolent religious groups of Pennsylvania. The Presbyterians then promptly started raiding across the border the other way.
Another great video from Mr. Beat! I learned so much in this one. Thanks, man!
ooh also, cool to see you also enjoy Patrick's videos! ;D
Mr beat I love the way you teach history and the way you explain I’m 18 and i feel like before learning about history wasn’t all that interesting but you have opened my eyes to the possibility of learning as much as I can’t . Soooo thank you😁😁😁
Great video, Mr. Beat. You filmed that on the Pa. Wv border. When you were on the Pa. side of the border, you were in Greene County, Pa. That's the county where I grew up. And, based on that, I eould argue that the Mason Dixon line was drawn about 10 to 15 miles too far south.
My wife lives in Baltimore and when visiting her family something that's surprised me is how utterly irrelevant the Mason Dixon line feels. Because DC is such a major area that's quite difficult to drive past, whenever we go on family trips out of state, it's almost always to Pennsylvania. In fact, we've driven to Pennsylvania more times than I could count as a family, but never once driven to Virginia. My perception as a non-American who's spent a lot of time in Maryland is that nowadays the Virginia-Maryland border feels like a way bigger divide. I can't imagine anyone form Pennysylvania feeling like they're crossing a significant line when they go to Maryland nor the inverse
By contrast, living in the UK I definitely am aware any time I cross the watford gap service station and officially enter the North of England
Stellar video as always. Thank you. All the best
This is very interesting. Im from Georgia but several friends of mine from Maryland consider themselves Southerners
Mr. Beat I can't stop watching your videos
A couple of Delaware things. The survey started with an arc drawn from the top of the cupola of the courthouse in the most northern county in Delaware located in New Castle, demarking the border between PA and DE and part of DE and NJ. The arc starts from above the mean high tide line on the eastern (New Jersey) side of the Delaware River so that Delaware includes about 6’ on the Jersey side of the river along the course of the arc, something very inconvenient for the Delaware State Police when bodies wash up over there. The arc then continues until where DE, PA and MD now meet and continues straight west from there. The markers between DE and PA have Ps and Ds carved on them and the one where the 3 states meet (a replacement marker) has P, D and M carved into its sides.
I was born and raised in Delaware. We said we were the only state east of the Mason-Dixon line (the western border of Delaware part of the line you mentioned near the beginning).
A few years ago, I visited the marker where the Mason-Dixon turns 90 degrees from East/West to North/South, which is a tri-state marker where PA-MD-DE meet. I would have thought there would be a little park or something to mark the spot, but no, it's just a marker in the woods, not too far from Newark, DE. There is a local road about 600' from the marker. The properties in the Maryland and Delaware sides are private but the Pennsylvania side is part of a State Park, but the site is nothing but a USGA marker, in a wooded area, and if you go there, the marker says No.2 on top, which is a bit confusing, but that is the right one.
I live in waynesburg Greene County Pa the the spot that is the southern corner so I grew up knowing the mason&Dixon line since well birth. Seen Dunkered creek and have been to the Mason & Dixon Park so I enjoyed this a lot
Patrick sent me here. Glad to find your page!!
I always enjoy your shows, but I gotta share something with you that I'm sure you'll find amusing.
Years ago, I worked at a Lincoln/Mercury dealership called Jim Dixon in Fairfield Ohio. The parts manager was the owners son. Believe it or not, his first name was Mason!
I guess his Dad had strange sense of humor.
All of us techs called him Honest Abe, but everyone else that worked there called him "sir".
Hope you can appreciate the subtle humor.
Keep up the good work.
Thank you for explaining something which seems to have largely deviated from its original meaning and relating how difficult it was surveying a straight line in those days especially in mountains and forests.
I’m surprised that you didn’t mention the “rail trail”. As a Pittsburgh native, I and my two sons love to go for bicycle rides along this trail quite often… you can even bike from Pittsburgh to Washington DC along this trail🤙
did not expect a dixie chicks reference in a Mr. Beat video
Two videos in a row, actually! haha
Always a good day when Mr Beat uploads a video.
I grew up in PA and had to take PA history in 9th grade but still learned a lot from this video! I knew what the Mason-Dixon line was and what it represented as far as slave vs free states, but that was about it. Also, now I know why West Virginia has a panhandle!
I also am enjoying this recent trend of shooting videos on location. 😊
Jeremiah Dixon who surveyed the line, is buried in County Durham England. He was also from there. It is also the same County as where George Washington family is from. Washington Old Hall the family home is open to the public in Washington Village which is part of the town of Washington.
I found one of those stones one time when I was a surveyor. I got all giddy.
I live on a farm that sits on the Mason Dixon line in Maryland, in fact 28 acres are in Pennsylvania. We found a crownstone in the 50s and named the farm Crown Stone Farm. We still have the stone it’s faded but you can still see the crown emblem.
Very good video overall, but: 10:26 _"North of it there was practically no racial segregation."_ I grew up in New Albany, Ind., on the Ohio River across from Louisville. Yes, right on the Mason-Dixon Line. New Albany and nearby Jeffersonville Indiana (which was also directly across from Louisville) had segregated public schools. Madison, Ind. also did (it's on the Ohio River 40 miles northeast of Louisville), Corydon, Ind. did (it's about 30 miles west of Louisville), and the much bigger city of Evansville, Ind. (on the Ohio River) did too.
And 120 miles north of the Mason Dixon line, Indianapolis had one high school set aside for blacks (the proudly named Crispus Attucks High School), while all others in the city were for whites only
A significant difference north of the Mason-Dixon line is that Indiana on its own banned segregation in public schools in 1950, four years before Brown v. Board, and all these cities' schools quickly obeyed with very little trouble from the public.
Public facilities, like buses and parks, were almost entirely free of segregation in Indiana, but many department stores were separate in Evansville's downtown; there was a black store district just off the central business district.
And lots and lots of northern communities had red lining ordinances going back to the early 1900s forcing neighborhoods to be segregated. When ordinances didn't do that, restrictive deeds on each individual lots did -- all to keep housing prices and therefore housing equity higher for whites. That's powerful white privilege that lives on.
MR BEAT NEVER SKIPS ARM DAY
As a Canadian, I always assumed the Mason Dixon line was longer. And further south. I looked it up on a map a couple of years ago and was surprised at how far north it came. In retrospect, it's not all that surprising. The shortness of it still astounds me, though. For being such an important border, there are many state lines that are longer. Although, probably more state lines that are way shorter. Dang New England.
Transitioning from walking to running away from the camera at the end of a video is really funny. Should be a regular thing.
I remember seeing this referred to as “Macy Dixie” in bugs bunny cartoons as a kid in NYC. What a fun and informative video this was for me.
Cool video. As a Marylander who’s moved around a lot, there is or at least used to be an amazing difference in some basic cultural norms between Maryland (at least the western part of it) and southern Pennsylvania. There’s (or at least used to be) a more striking cultural difference between Virginia (south of the Potomac River) and Maryland. Recent “advances” such as social media have reduced or obscured those just as they have changed many cultural pockets in places like cajun/creole Louisiana, Appalachian West Virginia and Kentucky, and the islands in the Chesapeake Bay. But there remain remnants of all of those differences yet today.
The intro made me laugh haha. "Hi everyone"
Great video as always Mr Beat!
American history is so interesting, thanks for your great videos. Love from south Africa 😊
I have a question. Is there a name for the line below? By which i mean the line separating Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina from the states up north? Whenever i see the list of states that seceded in the civil war this division (aside territories and the historical divide you mentioned) seemed more apt as a demarcation as only Virginia (that split) falls outside.
Hi just trying to confirm. I just friended you on telegram as per requested.
Taught the use of the Mason-Dixon Line in my Earth Science classes. It use of Astronomy in setting up our maps and grid system of land measurements .
Hehehe, id seen the Name Explain vid on my sub feed when i added this (and that) to my watch later earlier today; and i thowt at the time "Thats a funny coincidence" xD
Turns out no, Mr Beat just collabin in subtle ways, which i always love to see :3
As a Pittsburgher, I’m always amazed at how close I am to West Virginia and Maryland. And yes, we do still care about that border. Although, I think you guys can take Philly.
haha yeah we stayed in Pittsburgh. It's a lovely city!
@@iammrbeat Thanks for coming to the Steel City, glad to hear you enjoyed Mr. Beat.
Wheeling is a strange city
@@gadaadyn8190 Please do tell what is weird about it.
Yes, please take Philly.
Weirton, WV is just 30 miles from the Point.