In 4-5 sentences, describe 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 economies of the Northern and Southern states differed mainly in terms of their primary industries. The North relied heavily on manufacturing and industrialization, with factories and urban centers dominating the landscape. In contrast, the South's economy was predominantly agrarian, based on large-scale plantation farming and the production of cash crops such as cotton and tobacco. Both regions shared similarities in terms of economic growth and development, with advancements in transportation and infrastructure benefiting both. However, the primary factor that led to their divergent paths was the institution of slavery in the South, which influenced labor practices, social structures, and ultimately shaped the economic landscape in fundamentally different ways.