Question

River travel between the east coast and the new settlements in the west was the easiest way to move people and goods true or false

Answer 1

True, river travel was initially the easiest way to move people and goods between the east coast and western settlements. This method was vital before the development of roads, canals, and railroads, which the government heavily invested in during the 19th century.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that river travel between the east coast and the new settlements in the west was the easiest way to move people and goods is generally true. In the early stages of American westward expansion, before the widespread construction of roads and railways, rivers served as the primary conduits for the movement of settlers and goods. While roads and canals were developed over time, and technologies like the steam engine dramatically improved overland and upstream travel, river travel initially was a vital means for moving westward, especially when taking into account the inefficiency and high costs of early overland transport.

During the early 1800s, as settlers moved westward seeking new opportunities, the federal government and state governments began to invest in the construction of roads, canals, and railroads to facilitate this migration and commerce. By 1840, the United States had more than three thousand miles of canals and, by the onset of the Civil War, thirty thousand miles of railroad track. Steam-powered riverboats changed the dynamics of travel, making it feasible to navigate upstream against currents, revolutionizing the movement of goods and people.

Answer 2

The correct answer is - False.

The river travel was not the easiest, and actually not even a way that was possible for travel between the East Coast and the new settlements in the West. The main reason for this is the geography. Between the East Coast and the Midwest there's mountain ranges, running from north to south, and between the Midwest and the West Coast there's also mountains running from north to south. That makes the river travel restricted to only one area, as there is no rivers that run from east to west and cut through the mountain ranges. There's only one area where this has been possible, which is the northernmost part of the United States, but taken as a whole this way of travel was not possible.