Question 1

According to Walton and Rockoff, the primary reason the Federal government failed to build an adequate highway system before the Civil War was

Accepted Answer

A)  the technology was not available. 
B)  the canal craze diverted attention. 
C)  rivalries among different sections of the country stalled legislation. 
D)  the teachings of Adam Smith were taken too literally. 
A)  the technology was not available. 
B)  the canal craze diverted attention. 
C)  rivalries among different sections of the country stalled legislation. 
D)  the teachings of Adam Smith were taken too literally.

Question 2

New York's Black Ball Line demonstrated bold entrepreneurship by promising

Accepted Answer

A)  equal rates for all classes of passengers. 
B)  fixed schedule service "full or not full." 
C)  daily service to Liverpool. 
D)  clippership service to Europe as early as 1818. 
A)  equal rates for all classes of passengers. 
B)  fixed schedule service "full or not full." 
C)  daily service to Liverpool. 
D)  clippership service to Europe as early as 1818.

Question 3

Which of the following best describes public attitudes toward the railroad in the early 1830s.

Accepted Answer

A)  People were excited and eager for the new technology. 
B)  Americans dismissed the new mode of transportation as a British peculiarity. 
C)  Americans embraced railroad heartily since they had long demanded their construction. 
D)  People feared the railroads for their impact on passenger health and communities. 
A)  People were excited and eager for the new technology. 
B)  Americans dismissed the new mode of transportation as a British peculiarity. 
C)  Americans embraced railroad heartily since they had long demanded their construction. 
D)  People feared the railroads for their impact on passenger health and communities.

Question 4

Which of the following regions tended to support federal construction of a system of roads in the 19th century?

Accepted Answer

A)  the South 
B)  New England 
C)  Mid-Atlantic states, including New York and Pennsylvania 
D)  the West 
E)  All of the above. 
A)  the South 
B)  New England 
C)  Mid-Atlantic states, including New York and Pennsylvania 
D)  the West 
E)  All of the above.

Question 5

Strict constructionism of the Constitution in the antebellum period

Accepted Answer

A)  made federal funding of any project passing through several states illegal. 
B)  held the federal government to only a few transportation projects. 
C)  opened the door to federal domination of transportation projects. 
D)  caused earlier federal plans of transportation expansion to be completed by a mix of state, local and private enterprise. 
E)  Both b and d are correct. 
A)  made federal funding of any project passing through several states illegal. 
B)  held the federal government to only a few transportation projects. 
C)  opened the door to federal domination of transportation projects. 
D)  caused earlier federal plans of transportation expansion to be completed by a mix of state, local and private enterprise. 
E)  Both b and d are correct.

Question 6

According to Walton and Rockoff, the primary reason for the demise of the canal system was

Accepted Answer

A)  excessive reliance on individual entrepreneurs so that a system of canals was never created. 
B)  excessive government regulation that kept canal rates and profits too low. 
C)  environmental damage from deforestation that left canals flooded at some times and dry at others. 
D)  competition from the railroads. 
A)  excessive reliance on individual entrepreneurs so that a system of canals was never created. 
B)  excessive government regulation that kept canal rates and profits too low. 
C)  environmental damage from deforestation that left canals flooded at some times and dry at others. 
D)  competition from the railroads.

Question 7

Clipper ships

Accepted Answer

A)  allowed for profitable shipping on both short and long journeys. 
B)  dominated Atlantic trade by 1850. 
C)  were among the first ships to have iron hulls. 
D)  earned huge profits transporting passengers and cargo during the gold rushes to California and Australia. 
E)  All of the above. 
A)  allowed for profitable shipping on both short and long journeys. 
B)  dominated Atlantic trade by 1850. 
C)  were among the first ships to have iron hulls. 
D)  earned huge profits transporting passengers and cargo during the gold rushes to California and Australia. 
E)  All of the above.

Question 8

Inland passage times were reduced primarily through

Accepted Answer

A)  increasing the speeds of the boats themselves. 
B)  shorter layover times. 
C)  the government activity to clear the rivers of natural obstructions. 
D)  learning to operate the boats at night. 
A)  increasing the speeds of the boats themselves. 
B)  shorter layover times. 
C)  the government activity to clear the rivers of natural obstructions. 
D)  learning to operate the boats at night.

Question 9

"Antebellum transportation improvements encouraged the South to specialize in cotton, while depending on the West for food and the Northeast for manufactured goods."  This statement

Accepted Answer

A)  describes Rostow's stages of growth model. 
B)  describes North's interregional growth hypothesis. 
C)  describes Thomas Jefferson's vision of the US economy. 
D)  is supported by most contemporary economic historians. 
A)  describes Rostow's stages of growth model. 
B)  describes North's interregional growth hypothesis. 
C)  describes Thomas Jefferson's vision of the US economy. 
D)  is supported by most contemporary economic historians.

Question 10

The introduction of steamboats

Accepted Answer

A)  led to dramatic declines in the price of upstream transport. 
B)  led to moderate declines in the price of downstream transport. 
C)  is the primary reason for falling transportation costs in the early 1800s. 
D)  led to an initial decrease in transport costs that continued to fall due to learning by doing and the construction of lighter boats with increased capacity. 
E)  All of the above. 
A)  led to dramatic declines in the price of upstream transport. 
B)  led to moderate declines in the price of downstream transport. 
C)  is the primary reason for falling transportation costs in the early 1800s. 
D)  led to an initial decrease in transport costs that continued to fall due to learning by doing and the construction of lighter boats with increased capacity. 
E)  All of the above.

Question 11

Which of the following antebellum transportation innovations was financed primarily by government funds?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Erie Canal 
B)  the New Orleans steamboat 
C)  the Lancaster Turnpike 
D)  the Ann McKim clipper ship 
A)  the Erie Canal 
B)  the New Orleans steamboat 
C)  the Lancaster Turnpike 
D)  the Ann McKim clipper ship

Question 12

In the early 1800s, ______________ developed a plan for the federal government's involvement in building transportation infrastructure such as canals and roads.

Accepted Answer

A)  Albert Gallatin 
B)  Robert Fulton 
C)  Thomas Jefferson 
D)  Alexander Hamilton 
A)  Albert Gallatin 
B)  Robert Fulton 
C)  Thomas Jefferson 
D)  Alexander Hamilton

Question 13

Falling transportation costs in the 19th century

Accepted Answer

A)  fostered regional specialization according to comparative advantage. 
B)  created increasing lags for price declines along the Mississippi. 
C)  propelled the process of western expansion. 
D)  All of the above. 
E)  Both a and c are correct. 
A)  fostered regional specialization according to comparative advantage. 
B)  created increasing lags for price declines along the Mississippi. 
C)  propelled the process of western expansion. 
D)  All of the above. 
E)  Both a and c are correct.

Question 14

Compared to the Erie Canal, the primary disadvantage of Pennsylvania canals was

Accepted Answer

A)  state government resistance to providing funds for canal building. 
B)  the steep, mountainous terrain of Pennsylvania. 
C)  a pre-existing network of railroads in Pennsylvania. 
D)  lack of adequate rainfall in Pennsylvania. 
A)  state government resistance to providing funds for canal building. 
B)  the steep, mountainous terrain of Pennsylvania. 
C)  a pre-existing network of railroads in Pennsylvania. 
D)  lack of adequate rainfall in Pennsylvania.

Question 15

Between 1830 and 1860, the number of miles of railroad in operation increased by

Accepted Answer

A)  roughly 100 percent. 
B)  roughly 500 percent. 
C)  roughly 750 percent. 
D)  over 1000 percent. 
A)  roughly 100 percent. 
B)  roughly 500 percent. 
C)  roughly 750 percent. 
D)  over 1000 percent.

Question 16

What is not a benefit from the lower costs of transportation that were achieved through advances in railroads, canals and steamboats?

Accepted Answer

A)  Free rider problems were reduced. 
B)  Farmers gained larger shares of the selling price of their crops. 
C)  Consumers paid decreasing shares of the purchase price for transportation and marketing costs. 
D)  New unsettled areas could be cleared more profitably and added to the nation's economic activity. 
A)  Free rider problems were reduced. 
B)  Farmers gained larger shares of the selling price of their crops. 
C)  Consumers paid decreasing shares of the purchase price for transportation and marketing costs. 
D)  New unsettled areas could be cleared more profitably and added to the nation's economic activity.

Question 17

The _____________ received funding from the federal government and two states.

Accepted Answer

A)  The _____________ received funding from the federal government and two states. 
B)  Erie Canal 
C)  Pennsylvania Mainline Canal 
D)  Cumberland and Oxford Canal 
A)  The _____________ received funding from the federal government and two states. 
B)  Erie Canal 
C)  Pennsylvania Mainline Canal 
D)  Cumberland and Oxford Canal

Question 18

Despite dramatic increases in trackage during the antebellum period, the U.S. was slow to develop an integrated railroad system.  This was primarily due to

Accepted Answer

A)  the opposition of municipal governments to railroads. 
B)  the opposition of the federal government to railroads. 
C)  the failure to adopt a standard gauge for track. 
D)  heavy taxes on railroad companies. 
A)  the opposition of municipal governments to railroads. 
B)  the opposition of the federal government to railroads. 
C)  the failure to adopt a standard gauge for track. 
D)  heavy taxes on railroad companies.

Question 19

Public initiatives to expand canals and railroads

Accepted Answer

A)  featured a large percentage of government investment. 
B)  featured a small percentage of government investment. 
C)  were dominated by private investment. 
D)  were exclusively private due to "strict constructionism." 
A)  featured a large percentage of government investment. 
B)  featured a small percentage of government investment. 
C)  were dominated by private investment. 
D)  were exclusively private due to "strict constructionism."

Question 20

What was not a benefit of the development of a national market?

Accepted Answer

A)  Increased production by reducing tragedy of the commons problems. 
B)  Permitted greater division of labor. 
C)  Enabled people and organizations to engage more in their comparative advantages. 
D)  Led to lower costs because of increasing returns to scale could be taken advantage of in more industries. 
A)  Increased production by reducing tragedy of the commons problems. 
B)  Permitted greater division of labor. 
C)  Enabled people and organizations to engage more in their comparative advantages. 
D)  Led to lower costs because of increasing returns to scale could be taken advantage of in more industries.

Exam 9: Transportation and Market Growth

According to Walton and Rockoff, the primary reason the Federal government failed to build an adequate highway system before the Civil War was

New York's Black Ball Line demonstrated bold entrepreneurship by promising

Which of the following best describes public attitudes toward the railroad in the early 1830s.

Which of the following regions tended to support federal construction of a system of roads in the 19th century?

Strict constructionism of the Constitution in the antebellum period

According to Walton and Rockoff, the primary reason for the demise of the canal system was

Clipper ships

Inland passage times were reduced primarily through

"Antebellum transportation improvements encouraged the South to specialize in cotton, while depending on the West for food and the Northeast for manufactured goods." This statement

The introduction of steamboats

Which of the following antebellum transportation innovations was financed primarily by government funds?

In the early 1800s, ______________ developed a plan for the federal government's involvement in building transportation infrastructure such as canals and roads.

Falling transportation costs in the 19th century

Compared to the Erie Canal, the primary disadvantage of Pennsylvania canals was

Between 1830 and 1860, the number of miles of railroad in operation increased by

What is not a benefit from the lower costs of transportation that were achieved through advances in railroads, canals and steamboats?

The _____________ received funding from the federal government and two states.

Despite dramatic increases in trackage during the antebellum period, the U.S. was slow to develop an integrated railroad system. This was primarily due to

Public initiatives to expand canals and railroads

What was not a benefit of the development of a national market?

Growth, Welfare, and the American Economy

Founding the Colonies

Colonial Economic Activities

The Economic Relations of the Colonies

Economic Progress and Wealth

Three Crises and Revolt

Hard Realities for a New Nation

Land and the Early Westward Movements

Market Expansion and Industry in First Transition

Labor During the Early Industrial Period

Money and Banking in the Developing Economy

The Entrenchment of Slavery and Regional Conflict

War, Recovery, and Regional Divergence

Agricultures Western Advance

Railroads and Economic Change

Industrial Expansion and Concentration

The Emergence of Americas Labor Consciousness

Money, Prices, and Finance in the Postbellum Era

Commerce at Home and Abroad

World War I, 1914-1918

The Roaring Twenties

The Great Depression

The New Deal

World War Ii

The Changing Role of the Federal Government

The Changing Role of the Federal Government: Consumer Safety, Agriculture, the Environment, and Housing

Monetary Policy, Fiscal Policy, and the Business Cycle After World War Ii

Manufacturing, Productivity, and Labor

Achievements of the Past, Challenges for the Future

Filters

Which of the following regions tended to support federal construction of a system of roads in the 19^th century?

Falling transportation costs in the 19^th century