Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardGlobal Economic Developments and Resource Extraction

Table: Peru's Guano Exports to Great Britain and the United States (in thousands of register tons)

YearExports to Great BritainExports to the United States
184511412
185018547
1855305102
186035394
1865410121
1870485167
187531283

Which of the following historical developments best explains the dramatic growth in the export of the commodity shown in the table between 1845 and 1870?

  1. The intensification of commercial agriculture in industrializing nations to feed growing urban populationsAnswer
  2. B
    The establishment of direct European colonial administration over South American sovereign states to secure raw materials
  3. C
    The reliance of South American governments on mercantilist policies to restrict foreign investment and protect domestic manufacturing
  4. D
    A sudden decline in the global demand for agricultural labor following the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade

Answer

The intensification of commercial agriculture in industrializing nations to feed growing urban populations
The correct answer is correct because the growth of industrial cities in Great Britain and the United States during the nineteenth century created a massive population shift from rural to urban areas. Because a smaller percentage of the population worked in agriculture while urban food demand skyrocketed, farmers in industrializing countries turned to intensive farming methods. This drove a high demand for high-yield fertilizers like Peruvian guano, leading to a boom in its extraction and export.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the commodity and context in the stimulus.
The table illustrates a significant rise in guano exports from Peru to industrial nations (Great Britain and the United States) between 1845 and 1870, followed by a decline.
Identifying the time frame (mid-19th century) and the specific commodity (guano, which is a nitrogen-rich fertilizer) is crucial to linking the data to broader global trends.
2
Connect the commodity's function to the economic needs of the importing nations during this era.
Industrialization led to rapid urbanization in Western Europe and North America, reducing the proportion of the population engaged in farming while increasing the total urban population that needed to be fed. To meet this food demand, agricultural sectors in these importing countries had to intensify production, creating a massive demand for fertilizers like guano.
This links the resource extraction (guano mining in Peru) directly to the consequences of industrialization in importing countries.
3
Evaluate the distractors to eliminate incorrect historical assertions.
Peru was not under direct European colonial rule (eliminating the option about direct administration). South American states did not employ mercantilism in this era (eliminating the option about mercantilist protectionism). The abolition of the slave trade led to alternative labor systems, not a drop in labor demand (eliminating the option about declining labor demand).
Ensures that the correct answer is the only historically valid explanation for the export growth.

Key Concept

Industrialized societies' demand for raw materials and agricultural inputs led to the expansion of export economies specialized in natural resources.
Rate this question

Topics

Global Economic Developments and Resource Extraction