The most likely cause of the trend shown in the graph of manufacturing workers in the United States from 1850 to 1900 is the growth of industrialization and the development of factories. This period saw significant advancements in technology and the rise of factories, which created a demand for more manufacturing workers.
While the increase in immigration also contributed to the workforce, the primary driver of the growth in the number of manufacturing workers was the industrialization process itself. The expansion of plantations and slavery was more relevant to agricultural sectors rather than manufacturing, and although nativism increased, it did not directly lead to an increase in manufacturing jobs.