Final answer:
New Orleans' prominence as a commercial hub would mean that its shipping industry would suffer the most if Louisiana were to secede from the Union. The city's economy was historically tied to its port and transport of goods, making it vulnerable to trade disruptions. Secession would likely lead to challenges in maintaining shipping operations similar to those experienced during the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
New Orleans, with its strategic position near the mouth of the Mississippi River, had developed into a significant commercial hub for the shipping industry by the first half of the nineteenth century. Its economy during that time was strongly tied to the transport of cotton and other goods via steamboats to its port. Southerners believed they had the constitutional right to secede, rooted in their defense of states' rights and the legal perspective that they could own property (including slaves) and take them anywhere in the country.
If Louisiana were to secede from the Union, the most significant impact would likely be on the city's shipping industry. With the loss of the Union's protections and trading relationships, New Orleans would encounter challenges in maintaining its shipping operations. The blockade on Confederate states during the Civil War illustrates how a secession can disrupt trade and shipping routes, leading to economic hardship.
In a similar hypothetical scenario, New Orleans' economy, reliant on its port and shipping, would likely endure adversities due to disruptions in trade and the potential blockade or tariffs from the remainder of the United States. This would invariably affect related industries and the overall economic climate of the city. Alternatively, the suffrage movement, farming, and the immigrant population may experience consequences, but these would be secondary to the direct impact on the city's shipping industry.