Which long-term trend best explains the shift visible in this 1900 workforce composition compared with 1870?
- A
Mechanization eliminated all manufacturing jobs.
- B
The Homestead Act caused a sharp rise in the agricultural share.
- C
Civil War destruction permanently reduced southern agriculture below 10%.
- Dcheck_circle
Industrialization and urbanization drew workers from farms into factories and service jobs.
Explanation
By 1900 industry and services together exceeded agriculture for the first time, reflecting the Gilded Age shift driven by railroads, steel, and urban manufacturing centers like Chicago and Pittsburgh.