Question

which of the following developments best explains changes in agricultural production in the united states during the 1880s and 1890s? a new systems of transportation integrated farming into national markets. b farmers established new plantations for commercial crops such as cotton and tobacco. c the civil war devastated farms in large portions of the south. d commercial farms increasingly relied on labor provided by immigrants.

Explanation:

To determine the best answer, we analyze each option:

• Option A: In the 1880s - 1890s, new transportation (e.g., railroads) connected farms to national markets, boosting agricultural production by expanding market access.
• Option B: Cotton and tobacco plantations were more prominent before the Civil War; post - Civil War, sharecropping and other systems changed, and new plantation establishment for these crops wasn't a main 1880s - 1890s agricultural production change.
• Option C: The Civil War ended in 1865, so its devastation of Southern farms isn't a key factor in the 1880s - 1890s production changes.
• Option D: While immigration was present, the main driver of agricultural production change in this period was market integration via transportation, not immigrant labor as the primary factor.

Answer:

A. New systems of transportation integrated farming into national markets.