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Dbq Southern Environment Questions And Answers

Decent Essays

Unit 5 Short Answer

There were, and still are, many geographic differences between the Northeastern and Southern regions. These differences lead to many economic differences between the two regions, such as focus of business, technology, and transportation.

As a result of the different climates and soil types, the two regions of the United States had to differ in economic routes. The South focused on agriculture, due to its rich soil and suitable climate for farming. One piece of textual evidence states, “The fertile soil and warm climate of the South made it ideal for large-scale farms and crops like tobacco and cotton. Because agriculture was so profitable few Southerners saw a need for industrial development. Eighty percent of the labor …show more content…

The North bases its economy on manufacturing, which is a drastic different from the South. According to a document listed as textual evidence, “The northern soil and climate favored smaller farmsteads rather than large plantations. Industry flourished, fueled by more abundant natural resources than in the South, and many large cities were established (New York was the largest city with more than 800,000 inhabitants). By 1860, one quarter of all Northerners lived in urban areas. Between 1800 and 1860, the percentage of laborers working in agricultural pursuits dropped drastically from 70% to only 40%,” (document 4). After the War of 1812, where many had to find their own resources due to the lack of trade, the popularity of industries skyrocketed, creating better jobs than farming for Northerners. When the Industrial Revolution struck, this only caused more industries to be created, creating the economic path that the whole North region would soon follow, leaving behind small-scale farmers. Although terrain and climate helped push manufacturing into the role it now plays, other factors play a part in this, such as the War of 1812’s tariffs and treaties. But, altogether, the original elements to these economic differences were climate and

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