1. Economic Factors:
* Cash Crops: The South's economy was largely based on agriculture, with cash crops such as cotton, tobacco, and rice being the main sources of wealth. These crops required extensive labor, and the system of slavery provided cheap and coerced labor that drove the plantation system.
* Large Landholdings: The plantation system in the South was characterized by large landholdings owned by wealthy planters. These planters often relied on slavery to cultivate their vast estates, as they could afford to buy and maintain a large labor force.
* Limited Industrial Development: The South had a slower pace of industrialization compared to the North. The lack of industrial jobs made agricultural work, often done by slaves, more prevalent.
2. Political Factors:
* Lack of Abolitionist Movements: The South lacked strong abolitionist movements that were common in the North. The political power structure in the South supported the institution of slavery and enacted laws to protect it.
* Compromise of 1850: This legislation aimed to balance the interests of the North and the South and included the Fugitive Slave Act, which required Northern states to return escaped slaves to their owners. This increased tensions between the two regions and entrenched the institution of slavery in the South.
3. Geographical Factors:
* Climate and Geography: The warmer climate of the South allowed for year-round cultivation of crops, making agriculture a more viable economic activity compared to the North's colder climate and shorter growing season.
* Land Availability: The South had an abundance of fertile land suitable for large-scale agriculture, unlike the North, which had more varied landscapes and limited suitable arable land.
In summary, the development of slavery in the South was driven by a combination of economic factors favoring the use of coerced labor, political support for the institution, and geographical factors that made agriculture a central part of the Southern economy. In contrast, the North experienced different economic, political, and geographical circumstances that led to the decline and eventual abolition of slavery.