Final answer:
The Great Plains became suitable for large-scale farming due to technological advancements like windmills, barbed wire, and steel plows. These innovations, alongside the expansion of railroads and changes in land use, made cultivation in the region possible and economically feasible.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Great Plains became suitable for farming due to various developments in plains technology that supported the cultivation of the land. Key technological advancements that facilitated agriculture in the Great Plains include:
- Windmills: Essential for pumping water from underground to support irrigation and provide drinking water for livestock.
- Barbed Wire: Invented in 1873, barbed wire allowed ranchers to fence off their lands, safeguarding crops and water sources from free-roaming cattle and creating defined property boundaries.
- Steel Plows: Improved versions like James Oliver's chilled plow could effectively cut through tough grass roots, which were characteristic of the Great Plains, and were more durable when encountering rocks.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question posed about which technologies made farming viable in the Great Plains is c. windmills, barbed wire, and steel plows.
Apart from these, the expansion of railroads also played a significant role by enabling the transport of produce and the import of critical farming supplies. However, despite these advancements, smaller farms continued to face challenges in competing with the larger operations that emerged, leading to significant economic and social tensions.