US Civil War, 40 years of intense conflict between the north and the south

The Civil War was the result of 40 years of intense conflict and symbolized economic,
social, and poliitical diferences between the north and the south.
The South produced cash crops ... cotton, tobacco, and sugarcan for export to the north
and Europe it depended on the North for manufactures and for trade. The labor force in the south
included nearly 4 million slaves. Although the slave owners formed a small minority of the
population it dominated Southern politics and society. Slaves were the largest single investment in
the south. Fear of slave unrest ensured the loyalty…