Final answer:
The Philadelphia Club, established in 1834, is considered the oldest social club in the U.S., representing the interconnectedness of 19th-century Northern elites. Thus (option b) is right answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The oldest social club in the U.S. is thought to be the Philadelphia Club, which was established in 1834. Industrial elites formed these prestigious social clubs as a way to strengthen the bonds among themselves, with chambers of commerce serving a similar purpose for networking and advancing economic interests.
In the context of the 19th century, these social clubs represented the cohesive nature of the Northern elite, who were politically influential, tightly bound by social activities, and often had financial stakes in the cotton trade, making them proponents of slavery.
Thus (option b) is right answer.