Some of the most important rivers are the Potomac, the James, the York, and the Rappahannock. All of these rivers flow into the Chesapeake Bay. These rivers are deep and wide, and slow moving. Because of this the rivers are easy to travel on. The settlers sailed these rivers as they explored Virginia.
Cities often form around centers of transportation.
The waterways were the main way to travel in the 1600's. Roads were scarce and tough to travel on. As Virginia grew and more people came to settle there,they needed an effective way to travel the seas. In the late 1600's and the early 1700's the ferryboat was a popular way to travel. Towns grew up around ferry crossings.