The southern states did not develop the industrial structure of the north due to the combination of the geographical and economic reasons. In terms of economics, the south did not have the influx of the migrant workers from Europe, who were mobile and expensive. The south had to depend on on the slave workers who had to be forced to do the works on the farms. In terms of the geographical location, the south had a vast land controlled by few individuals and thus could not effectively industrially develop the farmlands.
Contribution of the southern states to American culture
Some of the contributions that the southerners claimed to have brought to the American politics and the culture include the diverse cultures, customs, music styles, varied cuisines and the advanced nature of the rights of individuals especially in regard to slavery. The claim that the Southerners were superior is not valid in that it is the circumstances that forced them to develop the cultures and the political advancements.
Difference in life as a slave in a large and a small plantation
For a southern slave, life was much better living in a large plantation than living in a smaller landholding. This is because the slaves had to be supervised by other people and that they could get some leverage over their lives depending on their work rates. On the smaller land holdings, the slaves were supervised by the owners and did not have any leverage. If I lived in these pre-civil war era then, I would prefer the larger plantations.
Slave codes
One of the main reasons for the defending of the slavery as a necessary evil rather than a positive good was that the slaves could provide free labor. The other reason was that even if the slave was freed, the slave could not fend for himself or herself. The reason behind the changes in the law regulating the freed slaves was that the laws had changed and that they could no longer import the slaves. They had to take decent care of the slaves that they had, and those who had been freed had to do illegal things to be considered as slaves again. This means that the rules pertaining the freed slaves were harsh.
