[lasereye]

Slavery was not legal and never legal in most of the United States. One of the reasons the North was able to win is that they did not have slavery and thus their agriculture vastly outproduced the South’s who relied more on involuntary labor (that did not earn wages and thus did not further contribute to economic activity elsewhere) vs. paid farmhands and technological innovation. Slavery retarded economic growth where it was practiced.

The northern states were far wealthier than the south during the slavery era. It's not a coincidence that the financial center of the US has been New York, not Atlanta or some other southern city. Other northern cities like Boston have always had more of the largest financial institutions than the southern ones.

Further, even attributing the south's wealth in the present day to slavery is utterly moronic. What things that the slaves built are still there? I guess a few historical buildings have been preserved.

[Verginius Rufus]

No doubt many of the plantation mansions were built with slave labor. Then many of them were burned down by the Union troops.

[Albion Wilde]

even attributing the south's wealth in the present day to slavery is utterly moronic. What things that the slaves built are still there? I guess a few historical buildings have been preserved

Various plantation houses are now used as museums and wedding venues.