Final answer:
The type of manufacturing that grew most rapidly in Mississippi during the Bourbon era was textile production, which employed over 100,000 workers by the end of the 19th century, becoming a leading industry in the South. Option d is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Bourbon era in Mississippi, the type of manufacturing that grew most rapidly was textile production. By the end of the 19th century, the Southern states, which had been predominantly focused on agriculture due to their reliance on slave labor, began to shift towards industrialization.
The surge in textile mills and factories was part of a wider industrial revolution that spread across the United States, particularly in light of advancements in transportation and mechanization. The expansion of railroad systems including the reconstruction of tracks to meet national standards facilitated this growth. As textiles became mechanized and centralized in factories, the South emerged as a leading producer of cloth, employing a significant workforce in this sector.
Southern property was an opportunity for Northern business owners to capitalize on by hiring workers, including women and children, at lower wages. Despite the presence of other manufacturing sectors such as furniture, shipbuilding, and train production, it was the textile industry that saw a significant rise, with over 100,000 workers employed in textile manufacturing by the turn of the century. This shift mirrored earlier trends seen in the North where textile production had been a critical industry even before the Civil War.