Fulton’s invention of the steamboat helped to increase river commerce across the United States; which of the following reflects another impact of the steamboat?

• A. Decreased urbanization
• B. Migration within the United States increased
• C. Decline of river towns
• D. Increased dependence on coastal shipping

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is how a new transportation technology reshaped where people could move and settle. The steamboat made river travel practical in both directions, not just downstream, turning major rivers into fast, reliable pathways for moving people and goods. That capability opened up large interior regions to settlement and commerce, encouraging migration westward and inward across the United States. As more families, workers, and entrepreneurs could reach and establish communities along rivers like the Ohio and Mississippi, internal migration increased, fueling the growth of towns and agricultural development in those areas.

This fits the answer because it captures how the steamboat expanded mobility within the country, not just along the coast or in stagnant urban patterns.