Final answer:
The difference between Cotton Whigs and Conscience Whigs lies in their stance on slavery and their regional alignments: Cotton Whigs were Southern supporters of slavery on economic grounds, while Conscience Whigs were Northern opponents of slavery's expansion on moral grounds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Cotton Whigs and Conscience Whigs represented different factions within the Whig party in the years leading up to the American Civil War. The main difference between these two factions was their stance on the issue of slavery in the context of territorial expansion and their respective regional alignments.
Cotton Whigs were generally from the South, supportive of economic policies that benefited the wealthy, including slavery, which was integral to the cotton economy. They were more likely to be sympathetic to or supportive of the expansion of slavery into new territories. On the other hand, Conscience Whigs were primarily from the North and were more likely to have moral objections to slavery, opposing its expansion and seeking to prevent its spread into new territories acquired by the United States.
Given the student's options and based on historical context, the correct answer to the question, "What is the difference between Cotton Whigs and Conscience Whigs?" is:
3) Cotton Whigs were focused on economic issues while Conscience Whigs were focused on moral issues.
And additionally,
4) Cotton Whigs were from the South while Conscience Whigs were from the North.