from aboard as a result of the Irish famine, the Crimean War and the repeal of the Corn Laws in England also contributed(North, 141). During this period Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia, in that order were the leading wheat growing states. Between the years 1840 and 1850 New York ranked first in the production of beef. The absence of politic party differences on issues related to the the growth of democracy existed in regard to the foremost economic questions, there was absolutely no partisan division evident in the movement to incorporate new financial institutions; rather , the primary factors , which the legislators examined, concerned value, feasibility, profit and the location within the state. Dozens of turnpike proposals, most of which werebacked by the Republicans, passed the legislature; but the Federalists cooperated, seeing the chance for profits. Prominent Federalists like John Rutherfurd, John Neilson, William Paterson, John Bayard, and James Parker invested susstanial sums in the turnpike business. There were numerous Republicans who were also vitally interested in the turnpike business (Kass, 150). Bipartisan support also accompanied plans for the construction of bridges and canals. All of the parties contained a large number of adherents from from every level of economic well-being in society. This helps to expain the absence of any clear-cut party differences on the major economic issues of the such as the chartering of banks, the protestive tariff, internal improvements, the development of manufacturing, and the promotion of superior agricultural techniques. Each politcal faction had segments both pro and con on most of these questions, and, inall cases it was opprtunism, the desire for profits, which was decisive in determining one's political position on these economic issues(175). New York's economic growth can also be attributed to the invention of the cotton gin. Cotton had become a boom crop in the sout...
