Who was the South’s most valued foreign trading partner

Question

1830's 
Involving The cotten belt

Answer 1

I am not completely sure, but I would think that it was England.   England was

having their Industrial Revolution, textile miles going strong, they needed the 

cotton to turn it into cloth and eventually clothes, etc..   

At the same time, the northern states were having their Industrial Revolution,with 

textile mills going up.   The south was able to choose the best deal when selling

their cotton and in trading their cotton for finished products.  The north felt that 

the south should do business with them exclusively, after all they were in the same

country.   This led to a term called "Sectionalism" which was the main reason for

the Civil War.   Slavery was an issue, but it was not the main reason for the Civil

War,  "SECTIONALISM".