Northern & Southern Cultures American Essay

Total Length: 830 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 5

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Indeed, the North-South divide presented a challenge to the newly independent nation. With this increasing divide and conflict came the development of distinct cultures that came to characterize each region. North is characterized by its diversity and liberal views towards human rights and equality, being a "melting pot" of different nationalities, ethnicities and cultures. South, meanwhile, is most popular by its agricultural industry, specifically its cotton fields, its subsistence to the black slavery system, and conservative culture and social environment. Geographical difference resulted to different economies in the region, and ultimately, determined the cultures cultivated and that characterized its states (Beard, 2008:133).

Harper (2003) argued that indeed, the North's decision to adopt the abolitionist stance is more a function of its economy: it was easier for the North to go against black slavery because it is not dependent on the system unlike the South. The South depended on agriculture for its growth as a region, and it cannot continue to flourish if the slavery system were to be abolished, as the slaves are the main source of manpower and manpower is the main generator of the South's agricultural yield.
The North, then, did not have to worry about any economic downfall with the abolishment of the slavery system, unlike the South.

Further contributing to the cultural difference between the North and the South was the attitudes each region adopted in order to preserve their economies. The North further opened itself to international trade, and has in fact expanded and grew its trade industry with the establishment of the Transcontinental Railroad system. The South developed into a conservative region because of continued pressure to abolish the slavery system. It therefore contained itself from the influence of the Northern states while at the same time, continuously fighting the Northern in the legislative arena in pursuing its advocacy of continued support for the slavery system. It began creating a government of its own, one that sought to preserve the belief that the slavery system is beneficial to the region (Ayers, 1993:8). These economic developments and political pressures in the North and the South, then, became catalysts that led to their development as liberal and conservative states/cultures, respectively......

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https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/northern-southern-cultures-american-9320