The map I have chosen to analyse depicts the percentage of students graduating High School from across the US between the years of 2007 and 2011. As you can see, there is a clear imbalance between the numbers of students achieving a High School graduation in the north and south. In Texas, one of the US's most southern states, there is an abundance of 'orange' towns indicating that at least 1 in 4 students will not achieve this. The collective of 'yellow' and 'orange' in the southern states, who were part of the Confederacy during the Civil War, may reinforce the idea that they are 'Hillbillys' who are known for their lack of education. This consistence in colour may also emphasise the wealth divide between the north and the south as there is a stronger consistency of blue in the northern states. This divide can be seen as far back as the 1950's when the north became a hub for prosperity due to the beginning of the industrialisation of urban areas, while the south continued to fall behind and stay agricultural states. However, the geography of the US is not a truly accurate indicator of educational standards, as can be seen in Florida in the south-east and Arizona in the south-west where there is a large percentage of 'blue' counties within the state.
It may also be interesting to note that Wyoming, Hawaii and Connecticut are the only states to achieve all 'blue' colouring, indicating all counties achieving a graduation rate of at least 85.4%.
Source: http://www.raconline.org/racmaps/demographics
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