How was the West drawn closer to the North and the South further isolated?

Why did an increase in productivity lead to an improvement in transportation technology ?

When? What country?

Have you any ideas? Think about the states that were admitted to the union in the years prior to the Civil War: Michigan, Kansas, California, etc. (Yes, Michigan was considered "west" back then. Were they slave states or free states?

Question two is kind of a chicken-and-egg problem: which comes first? The development of railroads (technology) increased productivity, but increased productivity led to a demand for railroads. If you don't understand "productivity," look it up. I can think of several examples of new technology prior to the Civil War that led directly to greater productivity and I'm sure you can, too.

Oh, yes, Ms. Sue. I am assuming the U.S. in the years leading up to the War Between the States.

To understand how the West was drawn closer to the North while the South became isolated, we need to look at the historical context of the United States during the 19th century.

During the early years of the United States, agriculture played a dominant role in the economy, particularly in the South, where plantation farming was prevalent. The southern states relied heavily on cash crops, such as cotton, tobacco, and rice, which were labor-intensive and required large-scale farming operations. Slavery was also widespread in the South to support the agricultural system.

On the other hand, the North experienced rapid industrialization, with advancements in manufacturing, trade, and transportation. In the early 19th century, technological innovations, such as the steam engine and the development of canals, improved transportation infrastructure in the North. This, in turn, led to greater connectivity and economic growth, as goods could be transported more efficiently.

The advent of the Industrial Revolution brought significant changes to the American economy. As manufacturing and industries flourished in the North, there was a demand for raw materials to fuel production. The South became a primary supplier of these raw materials, particularly cotton, due to the invention of the cotton gin and its subsequent increase in cultivation. As a result, the North and the South became economically interdependent.

However, tensions between the North and the South escalated over various issues, primarily around the practice of slavery. The North, largely influenced by the rise of abolitionist movements and the belief in equality, sought to abolish slavery, while the South saw it as an integral part of its socioeconomic structure.

These tensions eventually led to the American Civil War, which lasted from 1861 to 1865. The North emerged victorious, and with the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865, slavery was abolished.

The Civil War had an immense impact on the nation's infrastructure, particularly in the South, which suffered significant damage during the conflict. The war also hastened the shift of economic power from the South to the North. The North, having gained control over the transportation networks, such as railroads and canals, further solidified its economic dominance. Meanwhile, the South faced difficulties in rebuilding its infrastructure and diversifying its economy beyond agriculture.

As a result, the West, which had been expanding territorially with the acquisition of new territories and states, increasingly relied on trade with the North to stimulate its own economic growth. The West benefited from the development of transportation technologies, such as railroads, as they provided a means to transport goods and people more efficiently to and from the North. This interconnectivity further drew the West closer to the North.

On the other hand, the South's isolation was due to factors such as the destruction caused by the Civil War, the region's heavy dependence on agriculture, and the lack of diversified industries. The South struggled to adapt to the changing economic landscape and found itself increasingly left behind in terms of industrial development and infrastructure compared to the more rapidly progressing North.

In summary, the West was drawn closer to the North through economic interdependence and improved transportation infrastructure, while the South became isolated due to the lingering effects of the Civil War, an agricultural-based economy, and limited industrial development.