I think the idea of the northern US being the intellectual descendants of the puritans (WASP culture) and the southern US being the intellectual descendants of monarchists loyal to Charles I (extreme hierarchy, explains bible belt culture) is really interesting
Style conflicts
Differences in styles of art between factions in a civil war is an interesting topic. There are enough cultural similarities between the two groups that they are pulling from similar traditions, so the differences between them should be more related to the split in values, or whatever the conflict is about.