By the mid-1800s there were many differences dividing the Northern and Southern states. The major difference lingered from the signing of the Constitution, when some statesmen opposed slavery while others clearly favored it. Slavery wasn't the only issue that divided the country, however. In the North, agricultural, commercial, and industrial development led to fast-growing cities, whereas in the South, the economy was dependent on foreign sales of cotton. In addition, the South opposed tariffs on imported goods, but the North's manufacturing economy demanded tariffs to stave off foreign competition.