Answered


18501860187018801890

New England		2,5073,6604,4945,9826,831

Middle States		3,2026,70510,96415,87221,536

Southern States		2,0368,83811,19214,77829,209

Western States and Territories		1,27611,40024,58752,58962,394

Pacific States and Territories		231,6774,0809,804

Total		9,02130,62652,91493,301129,774






Between 1870 and 1890, which area had the greatest amount of railroad expansion?


ANew England
Bthe Southern states
Cthe Western states
Dthe Middle states

Verified Answer :

  • Extract railroad mileage for 1870 and 1890 for the four regions from the table.
  • Calculate the expansion for each region by finding the difference: \(\text{Expansion} = \text{Mileage}_{1890} - \text{Mileage}_{1870}\).
  • Compare the resulting values: New England (2,337), Middle States (10,572), Southern States (18,017), and Western states (37,807).
  • Identify that the Western states had the largest growth, \(\boxed{\text{the Western states}}\).

Explanation

  1. Data Analysis and Problem Objective

To determine which area experienced the greatest railroad expansion between 1870 and 1890, we examine the provided table and identify the mileage values for 1870 and 1890 for each of the four specified regions: New England, Middle States, Southern States, and the Western States and Territories. The "expansion" of railroad mileage for each region is calculated by subtracting the mileage in 1870 from the mileage in 1890.

  1. Calculation of Railroad Expansion per Region

We calculate the expansion for each region as follows:

  • For New England: The expansion is \(6,831 - 4,494 = 2,337\).
  • For the Middle States: The expansion is \(21,536 - 10,964 = 10,572\).
  • For the Southern States: The expansion is \(29,209 - 11,192 = 18,017\).
  • For the Western States and Territories: The expansion is \(62,394 - 24,587 = 37,807\).
  1. Comparison and Conclusion

Comparing the calculated values:

  • New England: \(2,337\)
  • Middle States: \(10,572\)
  • Southern States: \(18,017\)
  • Western States and Territories: \(37,807\)

The Western States and Territories clearly had the largest increase in railroad mileage during the twenty-year period. Therefore, the area with the greatest amount of railroad expansion is the Western states. The final answer is \(\boxed{\text{the Western states}}\).

Examples

Understanding data trends like railroad expansion is crucial in historical analysis and infrastructure planning. For example, by analyzing which regions experienced the fastest growth, historians can correlate railroad expansion with economic booms, population shifts, and industrial development. This type of quantitative reasoning helps us evaluate the impact of massive infrastructure projects on regional growth over time.

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