Essay On The Difference Between The North And South

482 Words2 Pages

As the antebellum Americans made several advancements in technological innovations, this helped the North overcome the South agriculturally. With the new inventions such as the cotton gin, the reaper, the steel tipped plow, and new ways to revive unfertile soil, the North had many advantages to aid them while they were gone to war. As these new inventions were created each had an impact on how and why the differences between the North and South came to be. Although the creation of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney improved the South’s economy it also made the South more dependent on slaves. With this new invention, a person could yield eight times as much cotton in one day versus the traditional method. It also made the Southern people more dependent on slavery than ever before. As more cotton could be produced in one day the need for slaves grew higher. No longer could the South due …show more content…

While others were in search for new land as their original soils were overworked and no longer fertile, farmers in the east started new ways to fertilize the soil and produce better crops. Some used plaster from canal construction which lead to an increase of the average crop which produced six bundles of wheat per acre to fifteen bundles per acre. Others increased dairy by feeding their cows the best clover and bluegrass. Now the butter could be sold at double the price than it was before. As all these advancements and developments increased the economy in the North, the South’s advancements only made it more dependent upon slavery. As the South had the slaves in which they did not have labor costs, the South felt that they did not need these new improvements. Which in the end, the North won the Civil War. But as these new inventions along with other inventions such as steam engines, sewing machines, and the telegraph, the North and South’s lives were going to change forever, but that is another