Albion's Seed is a book by historian David Hackett Fischer that explores the folklore, regional customs, and religion of four distinct cultures in British North America. In his book, Fischer examines the migration patterns of British settlers from the 1600s on up to the present day.
In Chapter 1, Fischer introduces the idea that four distinct culture regions, or "folkways," emerged from the populations of English settlers who came to America. He looks at the cultural differences between the North Midlands immigrants who settled in New England, the Chesapeake Bay colonists who founded Maryland and Virginia, the south-western groups who populated the Carolina coast, and the Appalachian mountain settlers. From these regional settling patterns, Fischer argues, arose four distinct regional cultures that still exist today.
In Chapter 2, Fischer applies the concept of folkways to the development of economics. He discusses how each of the four regional cultures had unique economic practices that evolved over time. In the North Midlands colonies, for example, subsistence farming was the primary source of sustenance and bartering was the economic system of choice; in the Chesapeake region, large-scale tobacco farming was prevalent and market-based economics were dominant; and so on.
In Chapter 3, Fischer examines the social structures that grew up around each of the four regional folkways. He discusses how the Puritans of New England established a distinctly moralistic society, and how the Chesapeake settlers embraced a hierarchical caste system based on wealth and bloodlines. He also examines how the Appalachians developed a patriarchal folkways and how the south-western plantations lead to racial stratification.
In Chapter 4, Fischer examines the evolution of religious practices among the four regional folkways. He discusses how the Puritans developed an especially close relationship with their faith, how the Chesapeake settlers embraced a more relaxed version of Anglican faith, and how the Appalachian folkways revolved around a mix of Protestant faiths. Lastly, he looks at how the south-westerners developed a spiritual system based on their African heritage.
In Chapter 5, Fischer outlines the migrations of the four distinct regional cultures in the newly formed United States of America. He looks at how certain cultural characteristics moved from one region to another, diluting and eventually spreading the four folkways throughout the country. He also examines the ways in which the 'melting pot' of cultures, immigrants, and travelers helped to shape the increasingly shared identity of America.
In Chapter 6, Fischer summarizes his arguments by concluding that the various folkways which developed over time in the British North American colonies still remain today. He notes that while society, religion, and economics have evolved since the 1600s, the regional culture distinctions that arose from early settlers can still be seen today in the United States. By examining the cultural practices of the four distinct regions, Fischer suggests that an understanding of regional identity can help Americans to "better comprehend our present and our past."
