This allowed them to use ships to move people and supplies easily
Colonial settlements were mostly built along rivers. The settlers used the waterpower of the rivers to run their mills. Navigable rivers provided transportation between settlements for people and their goods.
Think about this. You are a settler and you are building a town. Would it be near a river or ocean? Why would you put it there? What do you need for crops, shipping, washing, and drinking? There is land not too far away but it doesn't have a river, so why would you build near a river? You know the answer. Put it down.
Yes in the Southwest and California.
Build dams etc
Settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries often build communities along rivers because it was easy to travel up and down the rivers to trade and barter goods.
chicken
I don't know ask someone else
No, you cannot build roads through settlements in Catan. Roads must be built adjacent to settlements or cities.
Coast (ocean), rivers, lakes, waterfalls, rapids
The phrase "often a river runs through it" highlights the importance of rivers in shaping natural landscapes and influencing the development of human settlements. Rivers provide water for drinking, agriculture, and transportation, making them vital for the survival and growth of communities. They also create fertile land and serve as natural boundaries, influencing where people choose to live and build their settlements.
Canada was build up along coastlines, rivers and lakes because boats and ships were the main form of transportation and trade.
Bridges