Final answer:
The major center of jazz from about 1900 to 1917 was New Orleans, the city where jazz has its deepest roots and which predates its spread to other major cities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The major center of jazz from about 1900 to 1917 was New Orleans. Jazz, a music form with roots in ragtime and blues, was an integral part of the African American community and culture. Emerging from different American communities, jazz's popularity soared in the 1920s, especially in places like Harlem, New York. However, its origins trace back to the rich musical traditions found in New Orleans, which served as the hotbed for this emerging musical style before it spread to other cities like Chicago and New York.