Final answer:
In early ragtime music, 'to rag' referred to playing highly syncopated rhythms. This style was popularized by Scott Joplin and became a precursor to jazz. Ragtime music, a product of African American culture, spread widely across America, influencing various communities. The correct option is b.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the early days of ragtime music, 'to rag' meant to play highly syncopated rhythms. This was a style that emerged during the turn of the century and was a uniquely American form of music. Ragtime featured 'ragged', syncopated rhythms and a strong beat, which often compelled listeners to tap their feet or dance. The genre was built on a structure that challenged conventional music theories of the time and it later inspired improvisation and the birth of other music forms, such as jazz.
The most renowned composer and performer of this era was Scott Joplin. He was an African American pioneer in ragtime music, infusing his compositions with lively rhythms that influenced both black and white communities and musicians. Syncopation, which is characteristic of ragtime, plays off the regular beat to create a complex and engaging sound that was different from other music of the time. These rhythmic elements were derived from African music traditions like polyrhythms and syncopations.
This sound spread across the United States, as sheet music publishers like those on New York City's Tin Pan Alley disseminated ragtime tunes such as Joplin's famous 'Maple Leaf Rag'.
Hence, Option b is correct.