In terms of Agriculture, the South was the King of the cotton industry, only lasting as long as it had due to insane amounts of trade with Great Britain and several South American countries. The soil in the North just wasn't as fertile as that of the South and wasn't as well suited. Illinois was the exception. Now, in terms of Manufacturing, the North had this as a clear advantage over the South. The North had several dozen industries and even more factories. The North also had a larger population which not only meant a larger army, it meant a larger civilian workforce.