Which best explains why settlers in the Northwest Territory chose to be near lakes and rivers in the late 1700s? A.) They hoped the waterways would provide a route across the continent to the Pacific.

B.) They wanted to harness the power of the waterways to build new factories.

C.) They wanted to use the waterways to transport goods and crops to distant markets.

D.) They planned to use these waterways to help defend their properties from attack.

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C.) They wanted to use the waterways to transport goods and crops to distant markets.

Explanation:

The Northwest Territory was a territory created by the US Congress in 1787, the government created the Northwest Ordinances that organized land policy and territorial government in the area. Most of the settlers preferred to choose land close to the lakes and rivers because the territory was inhabited until that moment, so if they were closer to rivers they would be able to transport goods and crops from a long distance, which would make life easier in that region.

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