The southern part of the United States is an area in the south of the country. It’s commonly referred to as the American South or simply the South. There are sixteen states that form part of the South. These are: Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. During the American Civil War (1860 to 1865), some people from these states fought against the Union in the north.
The original inhabitants of the South were Native Americans. Later, early European settlers of English, French, Irish, Scottish and German origin arrived. They brought African slaves too. For many years, the South developed its own customs, literature, musical styles and food. It was originally a rural area with an economy dependent on farming and crops such as cotton and tobacco. However, in the last few decades, the South has become more industrialised and urban.