Final answer:
Empresarios settled near rivers for access to fresh water, fertile soils for agriculture, and as a means of transport for goods. Rivers also provided water power for factories during the Industrial Revolution, and river locations had strategic trade advantages that facilitated urban growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many empresarios chose to settle near rivers due to several key advantages. Firstly, rivers provided a reliable source of fresh water for drinking and irrigation, essential for sustaining both human life and agriculture. The fertile soils found in river valleys and deltas were especially conducive to farming, allowing for the growth of crops such as rice, leading to agricultural abundance. This was vital for supporting growing populations.
Secondly, during times before modern transportation, rivers were critical for the transport of goods. They served as natural highways for the movement of heavy cargo over long distances, much more efficiently than land routes. The strategic positioning along rivers facilitated trade and commerce, with cities often developing at the mouths of navigable rivers or points where navigation became impractical, creating so-called break-of-bulk points attracting workers and fostering urban growth.
Moreover, the presence of water was significant during the Industrial Revolution. Factories were built next to rivers as they provided the necessary water power and served as a means to transport raw materials and manufactured goods. Urban migration was common as factories encouraged more people to move to areas where jobs in industrial settings were abundant, although conditions were often tough.
In summary, proximity to rivers was important for settlement due to the access to water for consumption, agricultural fertility, transport and communication advantages, and the industrial benefits that rivers provided. These factors made riverside locations ideal for settlements to thrive economically and grow into towns and cities.