Final answer:
The transportation revolution led to enhanced market access and stimulated economic growth by making transportation of goods and people more efficient, spawning a period of significant industrial expansion and societal transformation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The short-term and long-term effects of the transportation revolution on the economy are best described by option B) Enhanced market access and stimulated economic growth. The development of transportation infrastructure like railroads, canals, and steamships during the Industrial Revolution dramatically reduced the time and cost of shipping goods and people. This expansion of the transportation network made it easier to transport agricultural products and manufactured goods across distances, vastly improving market access for producers and consumers alike. Enhanced transportation also led to a more varied diet and the rise of domestic and international trade.
In the long term, the transportation revolution contributed to the shift from local to national markets, fostering economic growth and contributing to the development of new social and economic structures. It connected consumers to producers spread far apart and made it possible for businesses to operate on a larger scale, creating an integrated economy. This, in turn, led to increased specialization of labor, efficiencies in production, and an economic boom marked by the significant growth in industries and overall national prosperity.
Furthermore, the transportation revolution also had distinct cultural effects such as enabling middle-class vacations and decreasing regional isolation, contributing to the broadening of people's perspectives and the exchange of ideas. It brought about far-reaching changes to societies, economies, and even demographics, as people were able to migrate more freely in search of new opportunities.