Question

States spent millions of dollars in the race to build canals. But canals soon received competition from another new form of transportation—trains pulled by steam-powered locomotives. The first steam locomotive in the U.S. was used in 1830. The map below shows the canals and railroads that existed by 1860. Look at the map. Then follow the instructions below.

You will not use all of the response options.

By 1860, the nation's system of ____ was much larger than its system of ____. Railroads were cheaper to build, and once completed, they transported goods and people much faster. They could also reach parts of the country where there weren't as many rivers. Both the canal and railroad systems were strongest in the _____ part of the country. These transportation systems made it easier to travel and ship goods over long distances. So, they made it _____ likely that people in different parts of the country would buy things from each other.

Answers choices are
northern
southern
less
canals
railroads
more

Answer 1

By 1860, the nation's system of **railroads** was much larger than its system of **canals**. Railroads were cheaper to build, and once completed, they transported goods and people much faster. They could also reach parts of the country where there weren't as many rivers. Both the canal and railroad systems were strongest in the **northern** part of the country. These transportation systems made it easier to travel and ship goods over long distances. So, they made it **more** likely that people in different parts of the country would buy things from each other.