How were the economies of the Northern and Southern states different? How were they the same? What factors led them to develop differently? (4 points)
The North was primarily industrial, focusing on manufacturing, factories, etc. In the South, it was mostly agriculture. Plantations were quite common, and animals were often raised alongside them. Cotton was the main income source for most of the South, while in the North, they focused on producing goods like clothing, furniture, tools, etc.
When it comes to similarities, agriculture was very important for both sides, and while the South relied on it much more, the North had plantations and farms as well, just fewer and smaller ones. They both relied on cotton, the South on growing it and the North on buying it.
The climate is arguably the main reason for the differences in economy. Down South, the climate is very well-suited for farming and plantations, meaning they did not have to industrialize to maintain profits. In the North, however, the harsh winters meant that crops struggled to grow, which forced the North to industrialize more.