This. Our country was originally established on the east coast. Anything off the coastline was considered “west.” But knowing just how massive our country is now, we have the true west (left half of the country) and then the mid-west (anything not on the east coast, but not on the left half of the country).
Our basis for cardinal locations is centered around the concept of our nation slowly expanding “out west” from the east coast.
You can also kinda see it in how we refer to regions directionally. Back east, down south, up north, out west while they’re kind of relics these terms subtly show how folks view the US.
Put the center of the compass in NY and it all works.
This. Our country was originally established on the east coast. Anything off the coastline was considered “west.” But knowing just how massive our country is now, we have the true west (left half of the country) and then the mid-west (anything not on the east coast, but not on the left half of the country).
Our basis for cardinal locations is centered around the concept of our nation slowly expanding “out west” from the east coast.
You can also kinda see it in how we refer to regions directionally. Back east, down south, up north, out west while they’re kind of relics these terms subtly show how folks view the US.
It also still works if you ignore everything west of the Rocky Mountains.