The Worlds of North and South

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts regarding the economic, geographical, and societal differences between the North and South in America during the early to mid-1800s.

Cotton Gin

A hand-operated machine invented by Eli Whitney in 1793 that cleans seeds from cotton, revolutionizing the cotton industry.

Agrarian

A person who favors an agricultural way of life and government policies that support agricultural interests.

Deforestation

The clearing away of forests, often resulting from agricultural expansion and industrial development.

Industrial Revolution

The dramatic change in economies brought about by the use of machines to do work formerly done by hand, starting in England in the late 1700s.

Plantation

A large area of privately owned land where crops were grown through the labor of workers, usually slaves, who lived on the land.

King Cotton

A term that refers to the economic dominance of cotton production in the Southern states, especially after the invention of the cotton gin.

Interchangeable Parts

Components that are made to be identical so that they can fit into any assembly of the same type, essential for mass production.

Wage Slaves

A derogatory term used by some Southerners to refer to factory workers in the North, highlighting their belief that factory workers were treated as disposable.

Reaper

A machine invented by Cyrus McCormick that allowed for the harvesting of grain at a much faster rate than manual methods.

Internal Improvements

Projects such as roads and canals aimed at enhancing transportation infrastructure, heavily supported in the North but often opposed in the South.