Final answer:
The tariff issue highlights a difference between the Northern and Southern states, represented by economic policies. The North favored tariffs for industry protection and infrastructure funding, while the South opposed them due to their reliance on trade for the plantation economy.
Step-by-step explanation:
How the Tariff Issue Illustrates a Difference Between the North and the South
The tariff issue during the antebellum and Civil War periods illustrates a serious difference between the North and the South beyond the issue of slavery. This difference can be encapsulated in option (a) Economic policies. The Northern states supported tariffs because they protected burgeoning industries from foreign competition, fostering industrial development. The revenue generated from these tariffs was also intended to help fund internal improvements, such as infrastructure. However, the agricultural Southern states opposed tariffs, as their economy was heavily reliant on trade, especially for importing manufactured goods due to their lack of local industry. They feared that tariffs would lead to higher prices for goods and make it more difficult to sell their agricultural products internationally.
Thus, the debate over tariffs highlighted the differing economic interests of the two regions, with the North favoring protectionism for industrial growth, while the South favored free trade to support their plantation economy. This conflict over tariffs compounded the sectional tensions between the North and South that, along with slavery, would eventually lead to the Civil War.