The South generally opposed tariffs, while the North supported them. Southerners argued that tariffs raised the cost of goods they had to buy from the North while not benefiting them directly. They also feared that tariffs would lead to a decline in the demand for Southern cotton and other agricultural products in Europe, which would hurt their economy. Northern states, on the other hand, argued that tariffs were necessary to protect their domestic industries from foreign competition and that they would ultimately benefit the entire country by creating jobs and increasing economic growth.