Question

Sacramento Valley Agriculture
Sacramento History Online


Which is the BEST summary of this entire passage?
A Prior to 1867 and the development of irrigation, crops were grown on lands along the rivers and streams.
B By 1929, fifty-one irrigation districts were organized into systems that delivered water to 282,000 acres.
C Major influences in the development of agriculture in the Sacramento Valley included the Gold Rush and the influx of miners, climate, railroads, land speculation, development of irrigation, and a more diversified crop culture.
D Fruit colonies, such as the English Colony Association, were founded on the eastern edge of the valley between 1886 and 1895, and were generally in lots of 10 to 20 acres with irrigation ditches dug to provide a reliable water supply.

Answer 1

C

This choice best summarizes the passage's main idea by listing the major factors that shaped Sacramento Valley agriculture (Gold Rush, climate, railroads, land speculation, irrigation, and crop diversification).