Why was the steam boat made?

Steamboats introduced quick and reliable travel along the Hudson River. Steamboats were romantic and travel was an adventure. With the opening of the Erie, Champlain, and Delaware & Hudson canals, steamboat traffic increased tremendously. The Erie Canal established New York City as a center of finance and shipping, provided cheap transportation for Midwestern farm products, and offered an easy passage for immigrants to the Great Lakes Region. The Delaware & Hudson Canal supplied Pennsylvania Anthracite coal to New York City and established Rondout as a center for Hudson River tow boats.

For more informative reading :

* http://www.hrmm.org/steamboats/steam.html