Most Revolutionary Southern Invention

[ATLman1]

I picked soft drinks. None of other choices have permeated American life quite like soda. You can find a person who's never been on a plane or used a PC. You can buy goods without UPC codes even. But you'd be hard pressed to find a person who has never had a soda. I'm sure there are some out there, but I find them to be very rare.

Here is a list of sodas born in the south:

• Ale-8-One (Winchester, KY)

• Barq's Root Beer (Biloxi, MS)

• Big Red (Waco, TX)

• Cheerwine (Salisbury, NC)

• Coca-Cola (Atlanta, GA)

• Dr Pepper (Waco, TX)

• Jumbo Orange (Chattanooga, TN)

• Mountain Dew (East Knoxville, TN)

• Nehi Grape and Orange (Columbus, GA)

• Pepsi (New Bern, NC)

• RC Cola (Columbus, GA)

• Sprite (Atlanta, GA)

Hmmm... No wonder the fattest cities in the country are always in the south.

ETA: Coca-Cola still uses cocaine as an ingredient. Apparently, they use coca leaves that have the narcotic removed. It's a "decocainized flavor essence of the coca leaf." (Source: Urban Legends Reference Pages) There is one company that is allowed to make the ingredient for Coke. It's done under watch of the DEA. Just a bit of southern trivia.

The Coca-Cola formula was actually invented in Columbus. Pemberton, the inventor, lived in Columbus and then moved up the road to Atlanta. Even though Atlanta is the home of the HQ, it is not the birthplace of Coca-Cola. That honor belongs to ATL's neighbor to the south, Columbus. There is a museum (Pemberton's house) in Columbus that honors Pemberton. He is also buried in Columbus right north of downtown Columbus.

[urbanesq]

UPC makes capitalism possible.. whether it is warehouse inventory and shipping, to the super market scanner, those little lines revolutionized the world. i cant belive i was the only vote. PC's a close second to me.

I voted with you in this one. Absolutely revolutionary and compeltely transformative of the society in ways the other options really haven't been.

PCs are my second choice, too.

Krispy Kreme donuts didn't make the list, but should have.

[Charleston native]

I voted for the Wright Brothers with the PC as a close 2nd. No one can deny that their invention of a powered airplane was the impetus for this country's air superiority in personal, cargo, and military air travel.

[Southernyank]

I voted for the Wright Brothers with the PC as a close 2nd.

Technically the Wright brothers were invented in Ohio.

[NCB]

Here's a good selection for 'other'. How about Jazz? Sure it spread elsewhere but it has it's roots down in the south in New Orleans. It's certainly had a big impact on music worldwide whether or not you actually like the style of not.

Very true, Rod. You could definately say that Blues Music is a good selection for "other" as well, as Blues has very strong ties to the Mississippi Delta region.