cultural differences

Question 1

topic sentence

Answer 1

Some historians such as Alan Farmer argue that the North and South were culturally dissimilar

Question 2

evidence 1 - education

Answer 2

here were clear cultural divides in regard to education between the North and South. For example, Northerners were better educated than Southeners as they had more publicly financed schools, a low population density in the South made this hard to maintain, meaning that Southern education fell behind Northern education. Furthermore, by 1860 the proportion of illiterate whites in the South was 3x higher than the North. This emphasises the cultural differences between the North and South because the lack of education in the South meant that Southerners were not as exposed to progressive and modernising views as their Northern counterparts. This could therefore help explain why Southerners remained committed to old values and institutions, e.g slavery, while Northerners were more accepting of reforming policy’s.

Question 3

evidence 2 - immigration rates

Answer 3

Moreover, immigration rates to the South were significantly lower than that of the North. By 1860, 1 in 6 Northerners were foreign born, whereas 1 in 30 Southerners were foreign born. This therefore suggests that there were cultural divides between the North and South because the lack of immigration to the South meant that they were less influenced by foreign culture, making it more likely for them to resort back to old institutions and values. On that note, Farmer argues, “Southerners lived in a world where values and institutions reflected a uniquely American experience

Question 4

counter analysis

Answer 4

However, despite their lack on education, Southerners were increasing becoming employed in a variety of jobs, this is evidence through the fact that real wages for the working classes across America rose by 40-65%.

Question 5

evaluation

Answer 5

To evaluate, there were clear cultural differences between the North and South in the 1850s due to the lack of education and immigration in the South. Therefore, Alan Farmer argues, “Not unnaturally, Northerners saw Southerners as backward and out of touch with 19th Century ideas and ideals.”, highlighting how the South was beginning to fall behind other nations as their attitudes were very traditional and they willing to change them.