Essay On The Difference Between North And South

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America in the 1800s; divided, yet united. How is this so? The North and South emerged as two distinct reasons because they had various differences. These differences included the geography, the economy, and their transportation methods. These varying differences, caused a major divided between the citizens of America that would eventually lead up to the Civil War. One notable physical difference between the North and South, was their geography and climate. While the North was more industrial based and the South agricultural based, striking differences between how the land was, affected how people lived their life. In the North, farming was difficult. Cold weather and rocky soil made the farming season short and hard. However, the North contained …show more content…

In the North, although farms were still present, they were small and produce was only sold locally. (Chapter 8 Section 1) Instead, the North went through the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes. They invested money into business using the economic system of capitalism. One main industry in the North was textiles. The textile mills relied on cotton that was planted in the South. Further, the South only focused on farming crops such as tobacco, hemp, wheat, vegetables, rice, and sugarcane. However, the main crop was cotton. Because the North needed so much of it, most plantation owners in the South turned to slave labor to plant and harvest cotton. Also, with the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney, the demand for slaves increased to make up for more cotton. Building an industry in the South was difficult because of the lack of capital or money to invest into a business. In a sense, the North and South depended on each other to make money and stay …show more content…

In the North, people used canals and railroads to grow their business. One major canal, the Erie Canal, opened in October 26, 1825, created an explosion in canal building. Canals allowed businesses to supply food and shelter to workers. (Chapter 8 Section 2) In the South, canals and roads were scarce. However, since most towns were along coasts or rivers, natural waterways provided the main means of transportation in the South. (Chapter 9 Section 1) The shortage of railroads in the South led to the small city development unlike the North. In addition, such shortage of railroads proved to be a disadvantage for the South in the Civil War. In the end, new ways of transportation helped unite the

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