Cotton

It surprises me that two parts of a previously identical country can become so drastically different through pure geography. The South had all the fertile land that could handle the brutal business of cotton growing, but both the North and the South benefited greatly from the industry. Even such a commonplace thing as tariffs will get entirely different responses from either end of the United States. The North would welcome a tariff with open arms as it would slow competition for manufactured goods and improve their sales noticeably. Meanwhile the South would hate the idea as now they have to buy their goods from their newly empowered northern neighbors with higher prices everywhere they turn.