* North: Industrialized with manufacturing and trade, diverse economy
* South: Relied on agriculture and cotton plantations, dependent on slave labor
Transportation and Infrastructure
* North: Extensive railroad network, canals, interconnected cities
* South: Limited infrastructure, reliant on rivers and roads
Social Structure and Culture
* North: More diverse population, more urban centers
* South: Predominantly agrarian society with rigid social hierarchy based on race
Ideology and Politics
* North: Strong support for free market principles and individual rights
* South: States' rights, pro-slavery, agrarian ideals
Slavery
* North: Abolition of slavery in the early 1800s
* South: Defense of slavery as vital to agricultural economy and way of life