The North-South Divide Differences in Demographics, Economics, and Culture.

The North-South DivideThe North-South Divide

Differences in Demographics, Differences in Demographics, Economics, and CultureEconomics, and Culture

Demographic Divide Demographic Divide

Population growthPopulation growth– 20% faster in free states than slave states20% faster in free states than slave states

ImmigrationImmigration– Almost 90% of immigrants settle in NorthAlmost 90% of immigrants settle in North

Cheap labor available in North without slaveryCheap labor available in North without slavery

African American PopulationAfrican American Population– 95% live in the South95% live in the South– In South, 33% of population is African-AmericanIn South, 33% of population is African-American– In North, only 1% !!!In North, only 1% !!!

Demographic DivideDemographic Divide

Population of Free states (1860) 20 millionPopulation of Free states (1860) 20 million

Population of Slave states 12 millionPopulation of Slave states 12 million– 8 million whites, 4 million slaves8 million whites, 4 million slaves– When Civil War starts, 5 slave states remain When Civil War starts, 5 slave states remain

in Unionin UnionWhite population in Confederate States 5 millionWhite population in Confederate States 5 million

UrbanizationUrbanization

Towns of 2,500 or moreTowns of 2,500 or more– 1820: North 10, South 51820: North 10, South 5– 1860: North 26, South 101860: North 26, South 10

Percent of workers in agriculturePercent of workers in agriculture– 1800 Free states 68%, Slave states 82%1800 Free states 68%, Slave states 82%– 1860 Free states 40%, Slave states 84%1860 Free states 40%, Slave states 84%

Economic DivideEconomic Divide

TransportationTransportation– South has 44% of nation’s railroad mileage in South has 44% of nation’s railroad mileage in

1840, falls to 26% by 18501840, falls to 26% by 1850– During 1850s, South’s railroad mileage grows During 1850s, South’s railroad mileage grows

400%, but North still growing faster400%, but North still growing faster

Manufacturing (1850)Manufacturing (1850)– Slave states have 18% of U.S. capacitySlave states have 18% of U.S. capacity

Half located in four border statesHalf located in four border states

Economic Divide (2)Economic Divide (2)

South exported 77% of its cotton to North South exported 77% of its cotton to North or abroador abroad

South imported 2/3rds of manufactured South imported 2/3rds of manufactured goods from North or abroadgoods from North or abroad

Average southern white male twice as Average southern white male twice as wealthy as average Northern white male, wealthy as average Northern white male, but wealth concentrated in land and slavesbut wealth concentrated in land and slaves

Cultural DivideCultural Divide

South: Emphasis on “tradition, rural life, close South: Emphasis on “tradition, rural life, close kinship ties, a hierarchical social structure…kinship ties, a hierarchical social structure…patterns of deference, and masculine codes of patterns of deference, and masculine codes of chivalry and honor.”chivalry and honor.”North: Moving toward a culture that was North: Moving toward a culture that was “impersonal, bureaucratic, meritocratic, “impersonal, bureaucratic, meritocratic, urbanizing, commercial, industrializing, mobile urbanizing, commercial, industrializing, mobile and restless….”and restless….”– ““Antebellum Southern Exceptionalism”, James Antebellum Southern Exceptionalism”, James

McPhersonMcPherson

Cultural Divide (2)Cultural Divide (2)

Less emphasis on education in the SouthLess emphasis on education in the South– Half the proportion of white children in school Half the proportion of white children in school

as in the Northas in the North– Exception: Wealthy Southern families send Exception: Wealthy Southern families send

sons to good schools, collegessons to good schools, colleges– 1860, proportion of white adults who were 1860, proportion of white adults who were

illiterate 3xs that of Northilliterate 3xs that of North

One Southerner’s ViewOne Southerner’s View

““We are an agricultural people…. We have We are an agricultural people…. We have no cities – and we don’t want them…. We no cities – and we don’t want them…. We have no manufacturing classes…. As long have no manufacturing classes…. As long as we have our rice, our sugar, our as we have our rice, our sugar, our tobacco, and our cotton, we can command tobacco, and our cotton, we can command wealth with which to purchase all we wealth with which to purchase all we want.”want.”

-Former U.S. Senator Louis Wigfall of Texas, -Former U.S. Senator Louis Wigfall of Texas, 18611861

1828 Tariff Crisis1828 Tariff Crisis

Congress passed high tariff to discourage Congress passed high tariff to discourage foreign imports/stimulate U.S. manufacturingforeign imports/stimulate U.S. manufacturing

South Carolina argued a state could judge South Carolina argued a state could judge when federal govt. had overstepped its when federal govt. had overstepped its authority - nullification” authority - nullification” – They They couldcould vote to nullify the tariff vote to nullify the tariff– Idea of state sovereignty/states rightsIdea of state sovereignty/states rights– States created federal govt. so states could nullify States created federal govt. so states could nullify

unconstitutional laws or even vote to unconstitutional laws or even vote to secedesecede (or (or leave) the Unionleave) the Union

In 1832, In 1832, another, higher tariff another, higher tariff

was adoptedwas adopted

South Carolina voted to nullify itSouth Carolina voted to nullify it– Threatened secession if its nullification was Threatened secession if its nullification was

not respectednot respected

Pres. Jackson enraged, Congress passed Pres. Jackson enraged, Congress passed Force BillForce Bill– Threatened to send 50,000 troops to S.C.– [S.C. voted to nullify the force bill]

Tensions eased as Congressed reduced tariffs, S.C. cancelled nullification act