Question

Why did so many of Georgia’s early settlers build towns and villages near the fall line?

A) To access fertile farmland.
B) To be closer to coastal trade routes.
C) To harness waterpower for mills.
D) To avoid conflicts with Native American tribes.

Answer 1

Early settlers in Georgia built towns and villages near the fall line to harness waterpower for mills, access coastal trade routes, and take advantage of fertile farmland.

Step-by-step explanation:

Many early settlers in Georgia chose to build towns and villages near the fall line for several reasons. One of the main reasons was to harness waterpower for mills. The fall line is a natural boundary where rivers drop from higher elevation to lower elevation, creating rapids and waterfalls that can be used to power mills and factories. By building near the fall line, settlers could take advantage of this waterpower to run their industries. In addition, being located near the fall line also provided access to coastal trade routes. Goods could be transported via rivers to the coast and traded with other colonies or countries. Finally, building near the fall line also provided access to fertile farmland. The land near the fall line was often rich in nutrients and suitable for agriculture, making it an attractive choice for settlers.

Early settlers in Georgia built towns near the fall line to utilize the waterpower for mills, taking advantage of the consistent and powerful water source provided by the natural boundary's waterfalls and rapids.

So many of Georgia's early settlers built towns and villages near the fall line primarily to harness waterpower for mills. The fall line is a natural boundary where there is an abrupt shift from higher to lower land, creating waterfalls and rapids. These sites were ideal for operating mills due to the presence of a consistent and powerful water source. Therefore, the correct answer is C) To harness waterpower for mills.