Final answer:
A canal is an artificial waterway built to allow the passage of boats and ships between two bodies of water. Significant examples include the Panama Canal and the Erie Canal, which have aided in global trade and regional development. The correct option is B.
Step-by-step explanation:
A canal is a man-made waterway that enables boats and ships to pass from one body of water to another, often created to shortcut and facilitate marine transport. These waterways have been crucial in the expansion and development of trade, military, and transportation avenues.
One of the most famous examples is the Panama Canal, completed in 1914, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, significantly shortening maritime travel by bypassing the long and perilous route around South America.
The Erie Canal is another notable example, which when completed in 1825, connected the Hudson River to the Great Lakes, encouraging settlements and agricultural development as well as facilitating the movement of goods. The Erie Canal played a key role in the expansion of the United States, particularly in terms of westward settlement and integration of different regions of the country.
Another significant canal is the Suez Canal, an artificial sea-level waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea and providing a shorter maritime route between Europe and the lands around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
Hence, Option B is correct.