Citizens of the North and the South had very different ideas at the time when it came to society, and the role of each region within the Union. Citizens of the North believed that the country needed to be more industrious and more technologically advanced. They supported industrial development and modernization. They were also against slavery.
On the other hand, citizens of the South were less interested in innovation, and more interested in the maintenance of traditions. They believed that class systems and hierarchies needed to be maintained, and that agriculture was the best industry to rely on. They also thought that slaves were a necessary part of society and industry.
The different ideas about society and the economy led the two regions to engage in a Civil War. Technological change was also significant in various ways. In the case of the North, the region benefitted from technology because it allowed it to continue developing its industry, and at the same time, improve their economy. In the case of the South, the region mainly benefitted from technology through the invention of the cotton gin, which made plantations more profitable and made people less willing to give up their way of life.