Why did colonists settle near the water?

Answer 1

By building houses or even communities near water the people had a place to wash clothes, have possible drinking water, (boiled first ) and in the case of rivers, place their "garbage". In warm climates it provided for recreation like swimming. Also, depending on the size of the lake or river, they could fish or use boats for transport.

Answer 2

One reason would be because that is where their ship landed, and they didn't know what unknown evils may be lying in wait for them in the interior. Another big reason would be that food, in the form of fishing and digging for clams, etc., was known to exist on the shoreline, but they wouldn't necessarily know how to get food if they ventured further inland.

Answer 3

Supplies and such would have arrived by boat, boats can reach a colony by the sea or travel upriver. Also, when the colony is fully established, the same principle can be applied to sea trade.

Answer 4

Colonies were made in order to provide the mother country merchandise, food, and other goods that could be sold or traded with people around the world. To ship goods, you do not want to pay for those goods to be shipped to the nearest navigable body of water. So, to make the goods cheaper to pay for, shipping ports became a great location for colonists to live.

Good fishing was also a reason.

Answer 5

To have water for cooking, cleaning, watering crops and livestock.