DOCUMENT 3 Sectional Differences

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

"The sectional division between North and South began in colonial times and resulted from geographical differences. In the South, the earliest settlers found the warm climate and fertile soil ideal for growing tobacco. They started many tobacco plantations and brought in black slaves from Africa to provide most of the labor. In time, other plantation crops, especially cotton, sugar cane, and sugar beets, were found to thrive in the South. The South thus quickly established a rural way of life supported by an agricultural economy based on slave labor.

The cooler climate and rocky soil in the North were not suitable for establishing plantations or large farms. As a result of those and other factors, the North's economy came to depend more on trade than on agriculture. Industry and commerce were centered in the North. Many factories using mass-production methods had sprung up there, and cities grew rapidly." The North developed an intricate railway system and shipping industry to transport the manufactured goods.
Source: A-Z History http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/worldbook/atozhistory/c/HEAD1

Southern Cotton Plantation 1850s

Pittsburgh Factories 1850s

1. Describe the economy of the South. How did the people make a living? What did they
     need for this type of economy?

2. Describe the economy of the North. How did the people in North make a living? What
    did they need for this type of economy?

3.  What is the difference between the Northern and Southern economies?