The term "regional economic difference" refers to the contrasting economic systems and industries between different regions within a country. In the context of pre-Civil War America, it specifically refers to the vast differences in economies between the industrialized North and the agrarian South.
Related terms
Industrialization: The process of developing industries on a large scale, often involving mechanization, factories, and mass production.
Agriculture: The practice of cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock for food or other resources.
Plantation Economy: An economic system based on large-scale agricultural production, typically utilizing slave labor, as seen in the Southern states before the Civil War.