What was a keelboat?

A keelboat was a type of flat-bottomed vessel used primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries for transporting goods and people on rivers and shallow waterways. Characterized by its long, narrow design and a keel that allowed for stability, these boats were often powered by a combination of human effort, animal power, and sails. Keelboats played a crucial role in the expansion of trade and settlement in America, especially along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. They were eventually supplanted by steamboats as technology advanced.