What was the main economic focus of the Southern states before the Civil War?

The main economic focus of the Southern states before the Civil War was agriculture, primarily centered around the cultivation of cotton and reliant on slave labor. The geography and climate of the South made it particularly suitable for growing cotton, which became the cornerstone of the regional economy. Cotton was not only a significant crop but also a lucrative cash crop that fueled economic growth and trade, both domestically and internationally.

Southern planters established large plantations where they employed enslaved people to work the fields, as this labor-intensive crop required a substantial workforce. The wealth generated from cotton farming contributed to the economic power of the Southern states and created a social hierarchy that revolved around plantation owners and enslaved labor.

In contrast to this agricultural focus, other regions of the United States were becoming more industrialized and manufacturing-oriented during the same time period. The South's reliance on a single cash crop and the institution of slavery were central to its economic foundation, leading to significant cultural and political divides with the industrialized North, which influenced the events leading up to the Civil War.