How was slavery in the lower southern states different from upper southern states

The 15 slave states are usually divided into lower south (FL, GA, SC, AL, MS, LA, TX) the upper south (NC, VA, TN, AR) and the border states (DE, MD, KY, MO).

There are some general differences. In the lower south ("cotton states") slavery was more concentrated on the large cotton plantations. In the upper south, a number of different crops were grown, farming was more diversified. Also, slaves in the upper south were more likely to be hired out as laborers or artisans, often for extended periods.

In the upper south and the border states, also to some degree along the southern Atlantic coast, slaves were often sold to traders who took them west and sold them. By the mid 1800's slave prices were higher in New Orleans or Texas than in say Maryland or Kentucky.

In the lower south slaves made up 30-55% of the total population of each state, in the upper south this was 24-33%, in the border states 13-23%, excluding DE which was only 2% slaves.

States in the upper south and border states, particularly VA and MD were in general more tolerant of free blacks and had significantly larger free black populations than did the lower south. Exceptions were AR, which had very few free blacks, and LA which had more free blacks than the other 6 lower south states combined.