The american railroad industry in the first half of the nineteenth century: a. stimulated the coal mining industry. b. was smaller in terms of total miles of track than the european rail system. c. encouraged entrepreneurs to begin building extensive canal systems for the first time. d. was exclusively in the north. e. mainly connected one waterway to another waterway.

Option: A. Stimulated the coal mining industry.

Explanation:

The industrialization in America began in 1800. With the availability of coal and other natural resources helped the industries to flourish. The railroad industry at the beginning of the 19th century supports coal mining industry to grow rapidly.  Coal became necessary fuel for railways to operate their engines as it became a cheap and efficient source of power for steam engines. As the coal mining expanded in 1900, some coal mine use new methods compared to the old technique of using picks and shovel to extract the coal.