The first one is the correct one
Although textile mills and tobacco factories emerged in the South during this time, the plans for a New South largely failed. By 1900, per-capita income in the South was forty percent less than the national average, and rural poverty persisted across much of the South well into the twentieth century.
No, he can say that's your opinion, but that is a weak ethical argument, he needs to say why he disagrees, and what are his view points on his reasoning, like why does he believe what he believes, just as person A does.
This is called the crust: oceanic crust is around 5 km (3 miles) to 10 km (6 miles ) thick and the continental crust is 20 to 30 miles thick, (still, i think that the word you're looking for is "crust" or "oceanic crust" to be sure.
