The main factor that led to the development of the Northern and Southern states differently was the presence of slavery. The Southern states relied heavily on slave labor to produce their crops, while the Northern states had largely abolished slavery by the mid-1800s. This difference in labor practices led to the development of different economic systems in the two regions. The North developed a more industrialized economy, while the South remained largely agrarian. Additionally, the North had access to more resources, such as capital and technology, which allowed them to develop more quickly than the South.
