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How and why did the North and the South drift apart in the years between 1789 and 1850?

The North and the South had different economies. Because the climate of the North was cooler than the South’s climate, there was less farming in the North. The North also had soil that was less suited for farming, unlike the South that had very fertile soil. As a result, the North developed many industries while the South was mainly an agricultural region. Because the economic activities were different in each region, the regions supported different...

The North and the South had different economies. Because the climate of the North was cooler than the South’s climate, there was less farming in the North. The North also had soil that was less suited for farming, unlike the South that had very fertile soil. As a result, the North developed many industries while the South was mainly an agricultural region. Because the economic activities were different in each region, the regions supported different policies.


For example, the North supported protective tariffs and internal improvement projects. Protective tariffs helped northern industries grow. The tariffs made European products more expensive. This encouraged people to buy from American industries. However, this hurt southerners because it cost them more money to buy products. The North wanted more roads, railroads, and canals to be built. The South depended mainly on river travel. The internal improvement projects had more of a benefit for the North than for the South. However, these projects cost money, leading to higher taxes. This had more of a negative impact on the South since they didn’t benefit from these projects as much as the North benefitted.


Different viewpoints on slavery also helped split the region. The North supported policies that limited the spread of slavery. The South wanted slavery to spread to any areas where it would be reasonable for it to spread. Because of the different economic activities in each region, the need for slaves was different. Slavery was not really needed in the North. Southerners believed it was very necessary for the success of their economy. Slavery became a very important factor dividing these two regions.


There were many factors that led to the split between the North and the South that eventually led to the start of the Civil War.

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