1. The Geography of the North and the South During the Mid-1800’s
Geography Challenge
The Geography of the North and the South During the Mid-1800’s

2. What were the three most populous states in 1860 were they northern or southern states?
New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio were the most populous states. They were all located in the North.

3. Which section, north or south, had the larger population? Why?
The North had the larger population. The North had more large cities than the South. The North received a large influx of immigrants in the 1840’s and 1850’s.

4. Which section, north or south, had enslaved African Americans? Why?
The South had enslaved African Americans. Enslaved African Americans served as the main source of labor for the agricultural economy of the South.

5. Which section, north or south, had more iron ore deposits
Which section, north or south, had more iron ore deposits? How did this affect the development of the economy of that section?
The North had virtually all the deposits of iron ore in the United States. This helped the North develop an industrial economy based on steel and manufacturing.

6. Which section, north or south, was more agricultural? Why?
The South was more agricultural. The warm, moist climate and flat, fertile land of the south was well suited to cash crops.

7. How many principle manufacturing cities did the north have
How many principle manufacturing cities did the north have? How many did the south have? What factors might explain this difference?
The North had 11 principle manufacturing cities, while the South had only 2. The huge copper, iron, and coal deposits in the North provided abundant resources for manufacturing.

8. Which section, north or south, had a more extensive railroad network?
The North had about twice as many miles of railroad line as the South.

9. Notice how the railroad lines in the north connect to one another more than those in the south. How might this difference affect the growth of trade and industry in the two section?
The connected railroad lines in the North made it easy to trade goods between cities. In the South, many lines were short and did not connect to each other. These lines were used primarily to get crops to rivers or harbors and did not promote the growth of trade and industry within the section as a whole.

10. What were the main crops grown in the south
What were the main crops grown in the south? What were the main crops grown in the north?
Rice, indigo, sugarcane, tobacco, corn, and cotton were the main crops grown in the South. The main crops grown in the North were wheat and corn.

11. What was the main difference between the types of crops grown in the north and those in the south?
Wheat and corn, the main crops grown in the North, were consumable, while southern crops tended to be cash crops.