"The inhabitants of the Western States are no longer isolated from the Atlantic seaboard. The completion of the great Northern canal and the rapid extension of the iron pathways have turned the flow of commerce. The wheat of Ohio and the flour of Michigan now find their way to the markets of New York and New England, while the manufactured wares of the East are carried back in return. The cost of carriage has been reduced to a fraction of its former rate, and the time of transit is counted in days instead of weeks."
—Report on Internal Improvements, 1836
Which of the following was a direct consequence of the developments described in the excerpt?
- The growth of a national market economy characterized by regional economic specializationAnswer
- BAn increase in the economic self-sufficiency of individual rural households
- CThe successful efforts of southern states to establish isolationist trade barriers against northern goods
- DA series of Supreme Court decisions that weakened federal authority over interstate commerce
Answer
The growth of a national market economy characterized by regional economic specialization
The expansion of canals and railroads during the transportation revolution of the early nineteenth century connected the West and the Northeast. This connectivity allowed the West to focus on commercial agriculture and the Northeast on industrial manufacturing, fostering an interdependent national market economy.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Market Revolution and Transportation Revolution