How was life in the tide water different from life in the backcountry south?

Answer 1

The tidewater South was dominated by large plantations, which used slave labor on a massive scale in growing cash crops. The Southern backcountry was much poorer, and survived on small family farms. Most backcountry whites were too poor to own slaves, and generally grew enough to feed their families. After Abraham Lincoln was elected President, many in the tidewater South feared that Lincoln planned to end slavery, and were therefore the most vocal advocates of secession. Many backcountry southerners resented the rich planters of the tidewater, and were less likely to support secession. This divide even led a number of backcountry Virginia counties to secede from newly-secedeed Virgina, staying in the Union and forming the state of West Virginia.