The correct answer is transportation of goods, popular homestead location, and trading opportunities.
The key roles that waterways played in early settlements were the transportation of goods, popular homestead location, and trading opportunities.
Early settlements in North America used the waterways for transportation of goods and people as well as for trade. In the East coast of America, there were trade ports or trade centers where people exported their products, mainly to Europe. Transportation by water was an important element for the growth of the region.