Step-by-step explanation:
Political Differences:
1. States' Rights vs. Federal Power: The Southern states advocated for greater states' rights and a weaker federal government, fearing that Northern policies would threaten their economic and social systems. They argued that states should have the authority to nullify or reject federal laws they deemed unconstitutional. The North generally supported a stronger central government and believed in the supremacy of federal laws.
2. Tariffs and Economic Policies: The North favored protective tariffs to promote domestic industries and manufacturing, which benefited their industrial economy. The South, reliant on agricultural exports, opposed high tariffs as they increased the cost of imported goods and reduced demand for Southern products in international markets.
3. Westward Expansion: The issue of extending slavery into new territories acquired through westward expansion became a major point of contention. The North sought to limit the expansion of slavery into new states, while the South wanted to maintain the balance of power in Congress by preserving the ability to establish slaveholding states in these territories.
These political, economic, and social differences between the North and the South created increasing tensions, which ultimately led to the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861.