17. Determining Cause and Effect How did the develop-ment of roads boost the growth of the United States?

The United States is a vast country, one of the biggest in the world. It has geography that makes it hard for people and goods to move freely and easily without proper infrastructure, mainly the deserts, the mountain ranges such as the Cascades, Rockies, Appalachians.

The waterways were not enough for the full development of the country as the majority of it did not had access to them, so something else was needed so that the whole country can be properly connected. The development of the roads was that missing link that was needed. As the roads started to develop and bit by bit started to connect all parts of the United States, the country was witnessing a constant boost to its economic growth. The reason for that was that the roads made it possible that the people, ideas, technology, goods, materials, were all able to move easily and freely. The long distances and the natural barriers were no longer an obstacle, as the movement was very quick and efficient from one end of the country to another end of the country.