The Difference in Climate Between the Northern and Southern Parts of the United States Leads to the Issue of Slavery
The climates of the southern and northern parts of the United States differed in precipitation, type of terrain, elevation and temperature.
Climate of the Southern Part of the United States
Precipitation
The average annual precipitation of the southern part of the United States during the 1860's was fairly high, compared to the northern states. For example, southern states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri South Carolina and Kentucky had an average precipitation of 80.1-100 inches of rain per year. The average relative humidity in the southern part of the United States during the 1860's was around 90%.
Terrain, elevation and soil fertility
The terrain of the southern part of the United States is flat relative to the northern part of the United States. The elevation of the southern part of the United States is also very low compared to the northern part of the United States. The mean elevation of the United States is depicted in the map below. The soil in the southern part of the USA also has a high soil fertility rate when compared to the northern part of the USA.
Mean Elevation of the United States
Climate of the Southern Part of the United States
Precipitation
The average annual precipitation of the southern part of the United States during the 1860's was fairly high, compared to the northern states. For example, southern states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri South Carolina and Kentucky had an average precipitation of 80.1-100 inches of rain per year. The average relative humidity in the southern part of the United States during the 1860's was around 90%.
Terrain, elevation and soil fertility
The terrain of the southern part of the United States is flat relative to the northern part of the United States. The elevation of the southern part of the United States is also very low compared to the northern part of the United States. The mean elevation of the United States is depicted in the map below. The soil in the southern part of the USA also has a high soil fertility rate when compared to the northern part of the USA.
Mean Elevation of the United States
Temperature
The temperature of the southern part of the United States is relatively warmer than that of the northern part of the United States. For example, the average temperature in Fahrenheit during January of the southern states of Louisiana, parts of Texas Alabama and Georgia is 64-80 degrees, and the average temperature in Fahrenheit during January of the southern states of Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Kentucky is 48-64 degrees.
Climate of the Northern Part of the United States
Precipitation
The average annual precipitation of the southern part of the United States during the 1860's was fairly low, if compared to the southern states. For example, northern states such as Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota had an average precipitation of 25.1 - 35 inches of rain per year. The average relative humidity in the northern part of the United States during the 1860's was around 40%.
Terrain, elevation and soil fertility
The terrain of the Northern part of the United States, unlike that of the South that is mainly flat, varies in elevation. The average elevation of the northern part of the United States is high compared to the southern part of the United States. A map of the mean elevation of the USA is above. The soil in the northern part of the USA also has a low soil fertility rate when compared to the southern part of the USA.
Temperature
The temperature of the northern part of the United States is relatively cooler than in the northern part of the United States. For example, the average temperature in Fahrenheit during January of the northern states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa and Nebraska is 0-48 degrees.
Hardiness Zones
Hardiness zones are based on average annual minimum (winter) temperatures and define the geographical range in which a given plant might be expected to survive. Descriptions of plants in garden stores use hardiness zone ratings to express a plant's tolerance for cold temperatures. The zone map in use today has 11 zones and includes the continental U.S., Canada, Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico. The divisions between zones are based on differences of 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The lower the zone number, the colder the average annual minimum temperature. Conversely, the higher the zone number, the warmer the average annual minimum temperature. The Hardiness zone map of the USA is shown below. From this map, one can observe that the average annual minimum temperature in the South is higher than in the North.
Hardiness Zone Map of the USA
Climate of the Northern Part of the United States
Precipitation
The average annual precipitation of the southern part of the United States during the 1860's was fairly low, if compared to the southern states. For example, northern states such as Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota had an average precipitation of 25.1 - 35 inches of rain per year. The average relative humidity in the northern part of the United States during the 1860's was around 40%.
Terrain, elevation and soil fertility
The terrain of the Northern part of the United States, unlike that of the South that is mainly flat, varies in elevation. The average elevation of the northern part of the United States is high compared to the southern part of the United States. A map of the mean elevation of the USA is above. The soil in the northern part of the USA also has a low soil fertility rate when compared to the southern part of the USA.
Temperature
The temperature of the northern part of the United States is relatively cooler than in the northern part of the United States. For example, the average temperature in Fahrenheit during January of the northern states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa and Nebraska is 0-48 degrees.
Hardiness Zones
Hardiness zones are based on average annual minimum (winter) temperatures and define the geographical range in which a given plant might be expected to survive. Descriptions of plants in garden stores use hardiness zone ratings to express a plant's tolerance for cold temperatures. The zone map in use today has 11 zones and includes the continental U.S., Canada, Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico. The divisions between zones are based on differences of 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The lower the zone number, the colder the average annual minimum temperature. Conversely, the higher the zone number, the warmer the average annual minimum temperature. The Hardiness zone map of the USA is shown below. From this map, one can observe that the average annual minimum temperature in the South is higher than in the North.
Hardiness Zone Map of the USA
Overall, the climate in the South was generally warm and sunny with long, hot, humid summers, mild winters and heavy rainfall. Its climate is ideal for agriculture and its flat terrain provides it with the ability to to grow many different crops in large amounts. Therefore, the Southern economy became agricultural based, and was heavily dependent on slave labor. On the other hand, the North had a climate of warm summers and snowy cold winters. The terrain is rocky, hilly, uneven and not suitable for farming. These conditions along with a short growing season and little areas fertile soil made farming difficult in the North. Thus, the North industrialized, and had little to no use for slaves.
Correlation between the Climate and use of Slaves
The climate of the Southern part of the United States was ideal for growing crops. This was because the climate of the Southern part of the United States was so great for agriculture is that the average annual precipitation of the southern part of the United States during was fairly high. Additionally, the South's terrain was flat, and the soil was fertile, making it easier for crops to grow. Furthermore, the South was warm relative to the North, and thus had a longer growing season. Since the climate of the Southern part of the United States was great for growing crops, the Southern economy developed into an agricultural based economy. In the South, large plantations developed, which required lots of human labor, and thus slaves. In this way, the climate of the Southern part of the United States caused the South to rely on slavery.
On the other hand, the climate in the Northern part of the United States was not ideal for agriculture, for winters in the North were snowy and cold, the terrain is rocky, hilly and uneven and there is little fertile soil. Therefore, the North industrialized and in the North, there were little to no farms. The only farms in the North were small, and thus northerners needed little to no slaves. In this way, the climate of the Northern part of the United States caused the North, overall, to be independent of slavery.
Ultimately, the difference in climate between the North and South caused the North and South to disagree on issues of slavery, which then led to the American Civil War.
On the other hand, the climate in the Northern part of the United States was not ideal for agriculture, for winters in the North were snowy and cold, the terrain is rocky, hilly and uneven and there is little fertile soil. Therefore, the North industrialized and in the North, there were little to no farms. The only farms in the North were small, and thus northerners needed little to no slaves. In this way, the climate of the Northern part of the United States caused the North, overall, to be independent of slavery.
Ultimately, the difference in climate between the North and South caused the North and South to disagree on issues of slavery, which then led to the American Civil War.
The Lowell Mills
The city of Lowell, Massachusetts developed into a town full of factories that primarily produced textiles.
For more information on the Lowell Mills, go to
http://www.lowell.com/francis-cabot-lowell/
Slavery Leads to the Civil War
Since the climate of the Southern part of the United States allowed Southerners to grow crops fairly easily, the economy in the south became based on agriculture. This meant that the economy in the South also was very much dependent on slave labor, for farming required lots of human labor, especially when it came to the huge plantations that many Southerners owned. Of the estimated 46,200 plantations known to exist in 1860, 20,700 of them had 20 to 30 slaves and 2,300 of them had a workforce of a hundred or more, with the rest somewhere in between.
However, since the climate in the North made it basically impossible for an agricultural - based economy to form, unlike the South, the North developed a rapidly growing industrial economy. Entire towns in the North became filled with factories. For instance, the town of Lowell, Massachusetts turned into a "booming manufacturing center" (Wilson, 213). Due to its industrialization, the North, unlike the South, was not directly reliant on slave labor, and saw little to no use for them. Although there were still some northerners who kept slaves, compared to the South, the North had no use for slaves.
Due to the South's need for slaves and the North's economy which was independent of slavery, when the idea of abolition became known during the abolitionist movement of the 1830s - 1870s, the opinions of the North and South turned against each other. Many northerners began to feel uneasy about slavery, and thought of it as inhumane. Thus, many northerners promoted ending slavery. Some abolitionists, such as William Garrison and Frederick Douglass made speeches and wrote books and newspapers such as The Liberator and The North Star to promote abolition. On the other hand, the notion of abolishing slavery was disregarded and absolutely hated by most southerners, whose income was heavily dependent on slave labor. Without slaves, they just could not run their plantations. As mentioned above, the economy in the South was very much dependent on slave labor for there were an estimated 46,200 plantations known to exist in 1860, and 20,700 of them had 20 to 30 slaves and 2,300 of them had a workforce of a hundred or more, with the rest somewhere in between. Slaves were used so much that there were almost as many blacks- slaves and free- in the South as there were whites (4 million blacks and 5.5 million whites).
Since the climate of the Southern part of the United States allowed Southerners to grow crops fairly easily, the economy in the south became based on agriculture. This meant that the economy in the South also was very much dependent on slave labor, for farming required lots of human labor, especially when it came to the huge plantations that many Southerners owned. Of the estimated 46,200 plantations known to exist in 1860, 20,700 of them had 20 to 30 slaves and 2,300 of them had a workforce of a hundred or more, with the rest somewhere in between.
However, since the climate in the North made it basically impossible for an agricultural - based economy to form, unlike the South, the North developed a rapidly growing industrial economy. Entire towns in the North became filled with factories. For instance, the town of Lowell, Massachusetts turned into a "booming manufacturing center" (Wilson, 213). Due to its industrialization, the North, unlike the South, was not directly reliant on slave labor, and saw little to no use for them. Although there were still some northerners who kept slaves, compared to the South, the North had no use for slaves.
Due to the South's need for slaves and the North's economy which was independent of slavery, when the idea of abolition became known during the abolitionist movement of the 1830s - 1870s, the opinions of the North and South turned against each other. Many northerners began to feel uneasy about slavery, and thought of it as inhumane. Thus, many northerners promoted ending slavery. Some abolitionists, such as William Garrison and Frederick Douglass made speeches and wrote books and newspapers such as The Liberator and The North Star to promote abolition. On the other hand, the notion of abolishing slavery was disregarded and absolutely hated by most southerners, whose income was heavily dependent on slave labor. Without slaves, they just could not run their plantations. As mentioned above, the economy in the South was very much dependent on slave labor for there were an estimated 46,200 plantations known to exist in 1860, and 20,700 of them had 20 to 30 slaves and 2,300 of them had a workforce of a hundred or more, with the rest somewhere in between. Slaves were used so much that there were almost as many blacks- slaves and free- in the South as there were whites (4 million blacks and 5.5 million whites).
Because of the difference in climate, the South and North opposed each other with regards to the issue of slavery. This split the nation and later lead to the American Civil War.
Here is a map of the United States in 1860 which shows how the Northern states were free of slavery while the Southern states practiced slavery. From this map, one can see visually how the nation was becoming split apart; North versus South, because of the issue of slavery which originated from the difference in climate between the North and the South.
Arguments of the South To Defend Slavery
Many southerners used the Bible to defend their belief that slavery was good for society. Their arguments were based on economics, religion, legality, social good, and even humanitarianism. For example, some southerners noted that in the Bible, Abraham had slaves. They pointed to the Ten Commandments, noting that it said "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, ... nor his manservant, nor his maidservant" (Exodus 20:17). In the New Testament, Paul returned a runaway slave named Philemon to his master. Also, although slavery was widespread throughout the Roman world, Jesus never spoke out against it. They also argued that the sudden end to the slave economy would have a profound economic impact in the South where reliance on slave labor was the foundation of their economy. The cotton economy would collapse, the tobacco crop would dry in the fields and rice would cease to be profitable. Additionally, many southerners mentioned that if all the slaves were freed, there would be widespread unemployment and chaos which would lead to uprisings and bloodshed. Furthermore, it was argued that slavery had existed throughout history and was a natural state of mankind. For example, the Greeks, Romans and English all had slaves. In addition, some mentioned that in comparison with the workers in the northern states, slaves were better cared for. They said that their owners would protect and assist them when they were sick and aged, where in the North, once workers were fired from their work, they were left to fend helplessly for themselves.
For more information about the abolitionist movement of the 1830s - 1870s which strived to achieve immediate emancipation, visit http://afgen.com/abmovement.html
Many southerners used the Bible to defend their belief that slavery was good for society. Their arguments were based on economics, religion, legality, social good, and even humanitarianism. For example, some southerners noted that in the Bible, Abraham had slaves. They pointed to the Ten Commandments, noting that it said "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, ... nor his manservant, nor his maidservant" (Exodus 20:17). In the New Testament, Paul returned a runaway slave named Philemon to his master. Also, although slavery was widespread throughout the Roman world, Jesus never spoke out against it. They also argued that the sudden end to the slave economy would have a profound economic impact in the South where reliance on slave labor was the foundation of their economy. The cotton economy would collapse, the tobacco crop would dry in the fields and rice would cease to be profitable. Additionally, many southerners mentioned that if all the slaves were freed, there would be widespread unemployment and chaos which would lead to uprisings and bloodshed. Furthermore, it was argued that slavery had existed throughout history and was a natural state of mankind. For example, the Greeks, Romans and English all had slaves. In addition, some mentioned that in comparison with the workers in the northern states, slaves were better cared for. They said that their owners would protect and assist them when they were sick and aged, where in the North, once workers were fired from their work, they were left to fend helplessly for themselves.
For more information about the abolitionist movement of the 1830s - 1870s which strived to achieve immediate emancipation, visit http://afgen.com/abmovement.html
Examples of Efforts of Southerners
Southerners often used biblical passages to justify slavery.
This is an example of a book written by southerner Nellie Norton which includes arguments that promote slavery based on the Bible.
Slavery Splits the Nation
Thus, the issue of slavery made the distinct differences between the Southern and Northern parts of the United States clearly visible. Because of the issue of slavery versus emancipation, it became obvious that the North and South had different needs, ways of life and values. The northern and southern parts of the United States now clearly seemed as if they were two distinct countries.
The issue of slavery was only one of the major disputes between the northern and southern parts of the United States. Eventually, all of the differences between the northern and southern parts of the United States ended up creating such great arguments and hatred between the North and South that it led to the Civil War, as predicted by Senator John C Calhoun who said "I have, Senators, believed fro the first that the agitation of the subject of slavery would, if not prevented by some timely and effective measure, end in disunion. The agitation has been permitted to proceed... until it has reached a period when it can no longer be disguised or denied that the Union is in danger. You have thus had forced upon you the greatest and the gravest question that can ever come under your consideration: How can the Union be preserved?" (Calhoun). Undoubtedly, the issue of slavery was splitting the country apart.
Ultimately, the difference in climate between the North and
South was the main cause of the American Civil War
because it caused the North and South to disagree on issues of
slavery, which then led to the American Civil War.
The issue of slavery was only one of the major disputes between the northern and southern parts of the United States. Eventually, all of the differences between the northern and southern parts of the United States ended up creating such great arguments and hatred between the North and South that it led to the Civil War, as predicted by Senator John C Calhoun who said "I have, Senators, believed fro the first that the agitation of the subject of slavery would, if not prevented by some timely and effective measure, end in disunion. The agitation has been permitted to proceed... until it has reached a period when it can no longer be disguised or denied that the Union is in danger. You have thus had forced upon you the greatest and the gravest question that can ever come under your consideration: How can the Union be preserved?" (Calhoun). Undoubtedly, the issue of slavery was splitting the country apart.
Ultimately, the difference in climate between the North and
South was the main cause of the American Civil War
because it caused the North and South to disagree on issues of
slavery, which then led to the American Civil War.