The North and the South – 3rd Grade Civil War Worksheet (Free Printable)

This free 3rd grade social studies worksheet helps students understand the differences between the North and South that led to the Civil War.

Reading Passage

Before the Civil War, the North and South were very different. The North had many factories and cities. People worked in shops and mills. The South had large farms called plantations. These plantations grew cotton, tobacco, and sugar. Enslaved people were forced to work on the plantations without pay or freedom. Many people in the North thought slavery was wrong. People in the South said they needed enslaved workers to run their farms. These disagreements grew bigger and bigger over many years.

Questions

  1. What did the North have many of? (Factories and cities / Plantations / Gold mines / Cattle ranches)
  2. Enslaved people on plantations were paid for their work.
  3. Large farms in the South were called ___.
  4. What crops did Southern plantations grow? (Cotton, tobacco, and sugar / Wheat and corn / Apples and oranges / Rice and beans)
  5. Many people in the North believed slavery was wrong.

About This Worksheet

Understanding the economic and cultural differences between the North and South is essential background for learning about the Civil War. This worksheet introduces 3rd graders to these differences with age-appropriate language.

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