Answer to Question #158984 in History for ismael

Question

Which reason best explains why the North developed an economy based on manufacturing, while the South focused more on agriculture? Physical geography supported different economies

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Northern plantations could not grow cotton

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Slavery was a necessity in both regions of the U.S

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Southerners lacked available land to build factories

Answer 1

In the North, the climate and soil were more favorable for smaller farms rather than big plantations like in the South thus they did not invest a lot in large agricultural farms. The North was however endowed with abundant natural resources that favored industrialization. In the South, there was fertile soil and had a warm climate which favored large-scale farming for crops like cotton and tobacco. Agriculture was also very profitable hence the South did not see a need for industrial development. Therefore, the North and South developed different economies because the physical geography supported different economies.