An astrolabe is an instrument formerly used to make astronomical measurements, typically of the altitudes of celestial bodies, and in navigation for calculating latitude, before the development of the sextant. In its basic form (known from classical times), it consists of a disk with the edge marked in degrees and a pivoted pointer.
In a federal system there is centralized authority, while in a confederal system power is distributed equally among the states.
Cotton played a major role in the social and economic life of the south because much of life was centered around this cash crop. Plantations in the south created enormous wealth for their owners who relied on slave labor to produce this labor intensive crop. The production of this crop fueled the slave industry which had an enormous impact southern society for centuries.
