What is the difference between "ceramics" and "pottery"?

Why does everyone up north call it "pottery", and down south refer to it as "ceramics?" When I lived up north, I first learned about pottery at my high school.  I continued on and took pottery through community college.  Once I moved to Florida, I took ceramics classes at the Maitland Art Center, and at UCF.

So today I attempt to clarify the difference between these two interchangeably used words!  I'll first ask Merriam Webster:

Definition of CERAMIC (adj)

: of or relating to the manufacture of any product (as earthenware, porcelain, or brick) made essentially from a nonmetallic mineral (as clay) by firing at a high temperature; also : of or relating to such a product

Definition of CERAMIC (noun)

1

plural but sing in constr : the art or process of making ceramic articles

2

: a product of ceramic manufacture

Definition of POTTERY (noun)

1

: a place where clayware is made and fired

2

a : the art or craft of the potterb : the manufacture of clayware

3

: clayware; especially : earthenware as distinguished from porcelain and stoneware and from brick and tile