Why Texas is not a Southern State if it is Geographically located in the South?

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Texas and the Southwest
It is important to establish what makes the identity of a state; its geographical location or characteristics. This question comes to light when discussing Texas. While it is geographically located in the South, it has gone through a historical and cultural transformation affiliated with the West. While considering where Texas belongs, it is important to move beyond its geographical location, South, and consider its cultural composition to determine where it belongs. While Texas is located in the Southern part of the US, people identify more with the West, qualifying it to be a Western state.
The association with the Confederacy does not make Texas part of the South. When the Civil War first broke out, the state had been part of the US for less than 20 years. It was less populated, and most of the parts were empty during the time. A majority of the people lived in East Texas and made a living from selling cotton (Armitage 476). Because of the connections with the South at the time, it is unquestionable that it would align itself to the South. To some individuals, the alignment with the Confederacy forever brands Texas as part of the South. However, demographic and cultural changes have occurred since the end of the Civil War. While Texas aligned with the "Deep South" during the Civil War, it is important to examine why this does not make it a Southern state. The association with the Confederacy at the time was out of convenience and does not constitute the state's position today. The less populated region of Texas could not align itself against the neighbors. Hence, the alignment with the Confederacy should not be used to brand Texas as a Southern state, while evidence demonstrates otherwise.
Additionally, the vast immigration of Mexicans to Texas has slowly transformed the state to become more affiliated with the West. Native American tribes originally inhabited the region that now constitutes Texas. However, the arrival of Europeans in the 1600s changes the region's composition. In the 1820s, the financial incentives from the Mexican government allowed many Mexican immigrants to move to the region. Before the 1970s, Texas attracted immigrants already staying in the US. These domestic immigrants formed the largest portion of immigrants in part. However, things changed in the 1980s when the state experienced an economic...