Ch. 19: The
Worlds of
North and
South
Introduction
• Northerners and southerners shared
– The same language
– The same types of churches
– A fierce pride in their country
– A faith in democracy
• However, their outlooks and attitudes
about many things were quite different.
• They also differed in their economies,
transportation systems, and societies.
NORTH (light blue) and SOUTH (gray)
THE NORTH
Geography of the North
• Four distinct seasons
• Jagged New England coast
with rocky soil
• Thick forests in New England
• Wide plains with rich soil in
New York, Pennsylvania, and
New Jersey
Economy of the North
• Economy based on
manufacturing
(factories) located
near rivers
• Steam-powered
machinery
• Unskilled laborers
worked in factories.
• The new reaper cut
grain more efficiently
than a man with a
scythe
Transportation
• National Road
in the North
Transportation in
the North
• Steamboats and
clipper ships
• Canals (artificial waterways)
• Erie Canal - first major canal project
• 20,000 miles of railroads
Society of the North
• Growing numbers of people lived in
cities because they wanted factory jobs.
• African Americans were free but not
equal.
≠
• Many immigrants came from Ireland and
Germany
MAP OF
EUROPE
THE SOUTH
Geography of the South
• Mild winters
and hot,
humid
summers
• Coastal
plains with
swamps and
marshes
• Rolling hills
and
mountain
hollows
• Broad, flat
rivers
Economy of the South
• Economy based on agriculture
• Small farms
• Plantations used slaves to raise cash crops,
especially cotton.
• Few mills and factories were built in the South
because southerners put their money into
land and slaves.
• Tredegar Iron Works was the only major
factory.
Transportation in the South
• Steam-powered riverboats
• Cotton shipped down the rivers
• The Mississippi River was the
mightiest southern river.
• 10,000 miles of railroads
The Rigid Social Class
System of the South
Wealthy
Plantation
Owners
Small Farmers
Free African Americans
Slaves
Society of the South
• Rich planters lived in large mansions.
• Some white farmers owned their
own small farms.
• Free African Americans worked as
craftspeople, servants, and laborers.
• Wealthy planters enslaved African Americans.
The Worlds of North and South
VISUAL REVIEW
• Use the following pictures to help
you remember the geography,
economy, transportation, and society
of the North and the South.
Geography of the North
Economy of the North
Transportation in the North
Society of the North
Geography of the South
Economy of the South
Transportation in the South
Society of the South