Where did French settlers primarily establish settlements due to geography?

• A. Along rivers for transportation and beaver pelts
• B. In high mountains inland away from waterways
• C. On the coast far from water
• D. In desert plateaus

Answer: (A)

Rivers shaped where French settlements grew because they provided the easiest way to move people, goods, and furs. The St. Lawrence and other river networks connected interior fur-trading regions to Atlantic ports, making it possible to transport beaver pelts to Europe and bring in supplies from abroad. Building towns along these waterways created hubs for trade, administration, and defense, which is why settlements clustered in river valleys like Quebec and Montréal. In contrast, high mountains inland, distant coastlines without river access, or desert plateaus would hinder travel, trade, and communication, so they aren’t what drove where French communities concentrated.