Question

How did the economics of the north and south differ before the civil war?

Answer 1

Hint: The main cause of the Civil War was the economic disparity between the North and the South.
The elite of the north desired economic growth that would improve the way of life of the south (slave-holding).
After decades of tensions between southern and northern states over slavery, westward expansion and state rights, the Civil War was fought in 1861.

Complete answer:
Southern economy :
The south was an overwhelmingly agricultural region of farmers for the most part.Slaves owned only one fourth of the Southern population, and most of them were planters. The rest of the population consisted of white independent farmers, tenant farmers, labourers, or frontier families (who rented land and paid the landowners in crops or cash). The majority of Southerners lived on farms, scattered along the coastal plains and the backcountry of small farmers.
Because agriculture was the basis of the economy, industries and cities developed at a slower pace than in the North. Along the banks of rivers and the coasts, there were many small towns. In the South, only a few large cities have developed as trading centres.
Southerners began using slave labour to clear land and grow cotton. Slavery was vital to the prosperity of the Southern economy.

Northern economy :
As centres of trade, cities flourished in the North. They were set up along the coast of the Atlantic and served as trade centres between the North and Europe. They were production hubs for textiles (cloth products) and other products.
Many distinct industries were the basis of the Northern economy. Shipping, textiles, lumber, furs, and mining were included in these industries. Most individuals lived on small farms and found that much of the land was suitable for subsistence farming rather than producing goods for export or shipment to other countries, raising food crops and livestock for family use.

Note: 1)The northern economy was depended on trade and industries
2)The southern economy depended on agricultural production.
3)The desire of southerners to pick the precious cotton for unpaid workers reinforced their need for slavery.
4)In the North, the industrial revolution did not require slave labour, and so people opposed it there. The confrontation brought about war.