The East Coast refers to the states in the Eastern part of the US, also known as the Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, or the Atlantic Seaboard. It’s situated near the coastline of the Eastern US, and it meets the North Atlantic Ocean.
Whereas the West coast is the Western part of the US, it is also called the Pacific Coast, the Pacific States, and the Western Seaboard. It is near the coastline of the western US, and the west coast meets the North Pacific Ocean.
Both of them are opposite each other, and about 36% of the U.S. population resides in East Coast states, and almost 17% of the U.S. population resides in West Coast states.
Besides being in the same country, both of these coastal states have little in common as they both have different people, cultures, languages, politics, styles of living, and so on. Keep reading as I will help you understand these coastal areas and their differences.
What Is the East Coast?
East Coast as the name says, is the eastern part of the US near the coastline where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. It also has different names: the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard.
The phrase refers to the areas and coastal areas/states situated to the east of the Appalachian Mountains, which are connected by a shoreline with the Atlantic Ocean.
From north to south, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
The Colonial History of the East Coast
All of the thirteen colonies of Great Britain lie along the East coast. From the original thirteen, two of the states were not in the thirteen colonies, which were Maine and Florida. As Maine became part of Massachusetts in 1677, and Florida became a part of New Spain in 1821.
The history of Florida started with the appearance of the Europeans, which the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León was also included he came in 1513 and made the first textual records; his name was brought by his conquistador to the state, as he called the peninsula La Pascua Florida. The Spaniards called Pascua Florida, also known as the flower festival.
The Major Cities and Areas of the East Coast
The East coast is heavily populated as it contains about 36% of the US population (112,642,503). The East Coast is the most populated coastal area in the US. These are some states on the East coast that are highly populated.
- Virginia
- Pennsylvania
- Georgia
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- South Carolina
- New Jersey
- Florida
- New York
- Maine
- North Carolina
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
These are almost all the states that are heavily populated on the East Coast.
Culture and Traditions
The East Coast is home to many immigrants that flee to the US to seek shelter and a new home. Since it is exceptionally close to Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, the East Coast is full of different cultures, races, traditions, and much more compared with other states in the US.
The East is filled with different cultures, such as the powerful Latin culture in Southern Florida and New York City to the eldest, which is about 200 years old, and the Gullah culture of the state’s Georgian and South Carolina low-country coastal islands.
English, German, Italian, Irish, and French cultures are present in the Middle Atlantic, which makes the East Coast a more diverse state than the rest of the states in the US, with many Chinatowns in New York City, and Little Havana in Miami is a small example of such cultural centers in the bigger cities.
The East Coast is the political and financial powerhouse of the US and a fantastic travel and resort place for people to enjoy their holidays.
New York is the largest city in the world and financial/trade center, making the East Coast an important part of the US.
What is the West Coast?
The West Coast is a part of the western side of the US. Other than the West Coast, it’s also known as the Pacific Coast, Pacific States, and the Western Seaboard, where it meets with the North Pacific Ocean.
Within the West Coast, some adjacent U.S. states of California, Oregon, and Washington, typically Alaska and Hawaii, by the United States Census Bureau, a U.S. geographic division.
Alaska’s being excluded, and the democratic party’s demolishing of west coast politics made it a contemporary history. With the states consistently voting for Democrats in various elections, only four out of five have voted for a presidential election since 1992, and three out of the four have been done in 1988.
The History of the West Coast
The west coast started when people from other lands poured into America; the Paleo-Indians crossed the Bering Strait from Eurasia and then into North America by a land bridge, Beringia.
Which existed between 45,000 BCE and 12,000 BCE. A group of remote hunter-gatherers led them to a vast herd of herbivores in Alaska.
The Alaska Natives, indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, and California indigenous peoples from the Paleo-Indians eventually advanced, made many different languages, and developed new trade routes. Then came the Spanish, British, French, Russian, and American discoverers and colonists who started colonizing the area.
Culture
The East coast is more full of immigrants and their descendants than the East coast, and its culture is considerably younger. California’s state is more Spanish and later became a Mexican colony.
The lower west coast has become a Hispanic American community, which has also become famous in the southwest. Two cities that have Asian American residents are San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The coffee capital of the world is on the west coast. These are the Pacific Northwest, Portland, and Seattle. Starbucks, which started in Seattle, is also in Seattle. Both of these are known for their coffee and coffee shops.
They also have high-quality bookshops and libraries. The Cascadian flag has become a popular image at Seattle Sounders FC and Portland Timbers games.
Some Famous Cities on the West Coast
16 of the 20 largest cities on the West Coast are in the state of California; Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Jose.
- Los Angeles
- San Diego
- San Jose
- San Francisco
- Seattle
These are the most populated cities on the west coast, the top 5 of them.
The Complete Distinction Between the West and East Coasts
The East Coast refers to the East side of the US, and the West Coast refers to the west side of the US. The East coast is more populated than any other state, whereas the west coast is full of immigrants from different cultures.
The terms “East Coast” and “West Coast” refer to the United States’ eastern and western coastal states, respectively. The United States is a massive country with coasts on both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Because of their geographical positions, the weather on the East and West Coasts differ.
Because of their proximity to different countries and the influence of different cultures on one coast more than the other, the cultures, politics, people’s behavior, languages, and styles differ.
There are many differences between them regarding people, politics, languages, style, and way of life, but this article will focus on the states included.
| West Coast | East Coast |
|---|---|
| Growing industries | Affluent and luxurious lifestyle |
| Gloomy weather | Plenty of opportunities |
| Lack of diversity | Cost of living |
| Great place for business | Horrible traffic |
Conclusion
- The East and West Coasts are both different from each other through race and culture/traditions.
- The East Coast is the most populated, whereas the West Coast is full of immigrants from different lands and different cultures.
- Both coastal areas are full of beautiful areas, travel spots, and many more resorts.
- I think the East and West Coasts are full of beautiful places and people of different races and cultures.