Why Have Cities Near Harbors

Thousands of years ago people started living near water sources. They used the water mostly for bathing, drinking, and cooking. As the years passed, living near water become more and more of an advantage. Soon came the invention of boats, this greatly increased the population near water. Today, many cities around the world are located near large rivers and lakes, or near an ocean. Even now, there are still many advantages to cities being located near water.
One big advantage of having cities near water sources is transportation. “There are many cities near harbors on the coast of the United States because of all the goods shipped in and out of the harbors” (Study Zone). The harbors make goods easily accessible to the citizens, and creates jobs for them as well. Living near rivers also has advantages of transportation. “Boats can carry agricultural goods, industrial products, and raw materials within the state or even within the country”(Worldbook Student Mississippi River). These rivers, lakes, harbors, and other waterways make nice trade routes for cities to ship and receive supplies and for citizens to find jobs. There are also passenger ships that use the water for transportation. Some people may own their own boats they use for transportation. However, using boats as personal
River valleys have very rich and fertile soil. This was very important to settlers looking for a place to live and grow their food. This lead to many people settling, increasing populations in these areas. These populated areas became prime spots for trading food as well. This is where these cities began. Rivers were also popular for raising livestock because, they provided the animals plenty of food and water. This increased the area's population more causing bigger cities. Today, these cities have changed, yet they have stuck around. These cities now include agricultural businesses, shipping areas, and