Question

Demand in the East was high for cattle. A cow worth $2 in Texas was worth $30-40 in New York. Why?

Answer 1

Answer:

This was due to the abundant and cheap land available in Texas, compared to New York which was more populated and expensive.

Explanation:

As the United States expanded westwards, Texas was a large, open territory with plenty of land and resources.

The weather was warmer throughout the year, helping to develop a booming agriculture and cattle industry.

It was also sparsely populated and enabling a few people to own large farms.

Compared to Texas, New York was densely populated with expensive land,  poor weather but a high demand for cattle products. This is why cattle was far more expensive in Texas than New York.

Answer 2

Answer: [SAMPLE ANSWER]  Cattle was plentiful in Texas and the demand was easily met. In the East, there were more people and less cattle to be had, which meant someone from New York would be willing to pay more for what they wanted (supply and demand). In addition, ranchers in Texas would add the cost of transportation into the overall price paid in the East.