Many immigrants made up the labor class in both the southern and northern economies before the Civil War. In the North, immigrants from countries such as Ireland and Germany were a significant part of the labor force in industries such as manufacturing, mining, and construction. In the South, immigrants from countries such as Ireland and Scotland also worked in industries such as agriculture, particularly in the growing cotton and tobacco plantations. Immigrants often faced harsh working conditions and discrimination, but their labor was crucial to the economic growth of both regions before the Civil War.
