Question

Which of the following was an important geographic effect of settling the frontier?

a) Increased agricultural labor provided by Latin American immigrants.

b) Population density increased across the United States.

c) Increased migration to the Great Plains for factory work.

d) Population shift from northern industry to southern farms.

Answer 1

Population density increased across the United States as settlers expanded westward, contributing to the nation's urban growth and industrialization.

Step-by-step explanation:

The important geographic effect of settling the frontier was b) Population density increased across the United States. This was influenced by the migration of settlers beyond the Appalachian Mountains to secure land, increase social and economic status, and ultimately contribute to the raw materials for the industrializing Northeast. The Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged this expansion by providing land for farming if lived upon and tended for several years, resulting in a move from the overworked farms of the east to the more fertile west. Additionally, industrialization led to the need for labor in factories, creating a move to urban centers and a decrease in rural populations, altering the distribution of population and increasing the size of urban areas.