Rednecks have come to be known as an indispensable and fiercely proud component of the American population. This courtesy of the rednecks of yesteryear, who through their hard work and independent attitudes, paved a gentler pathway for modern day Rednecks to walk today.

Viewed as a class of people with little sophistication and even less desire to develop any, they are strongly loyal to family and home, but mistrustful of governmental authority. They are best known for their outspoken and often times embarrassing, swearing, gambling, drinking, hard working and hell raising way of life.

"Redneck" is a word that is spoken in both a derogatory tone of voice as well as one filled with a strong sense of personal pride.

It all started back in the 17th and 18th centuries with the arrival of a group of hardworking immigrants of Irish, Scottish and Welsh ancestry. These immigrants were country folk and distinctly recognizable by the red tanned skin on their face and neck areas acquired from the many hours they spent working outdoors farming or maintaining their country homes. Hence the term "Redneck" which came to identify this new class of poor white American country folks.

Considered too "uncultured" to be absorbed into mainstream America they were encouraged to settle in areas such as the Appalachian mountain area where they could act as a human shield against the Indian Nations that also resided there. The newly arrived immigrants settled in and did whatever they felt was necessary to insure their survival.

Courtesy of their distinctive personalities, within a short time "Redneck" came to represent almost all of the poorer lower class white people within America.

From hunting squirrels to running whiskey they made their mark in American history books. Although mistrustful of government bureaucracy, during the War of 1812, the Texas Revolution, the Civil War and the Mexican-American War, rednecks volunteered for duty at a much higher rate than other Americans. This class of poor white country people had a very strong fighting spirit, and they showed it by fighting and dying, at much higher rates than their upper class American counterparts.

Modern day Rednecks now belong to any class or income level, and can be found in the city, just as often as the country, they are bankers, lawyers, mechanics and truckers. They no longer are distinguishable by their red neck as they are just as likely to work in an office or corporation, as in the bush or out in the field. Today it is their unique personalities that earn them the classification of Redneck. They can still be identified by their distinct attitudes, lifestyle, strong personal values, and intense loyalty to family and home. That will probably never change.

Rednecks have indeed come to be known as an indispensable and fiercely proud component of the American population. This courtesy of the rednecks of yesteryear, who through their hard work and independent attitudes, paved a gentler pathway for modern day Rednecks to walk today.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R edneck

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