Flatboat: meaning, definitions and examples
🛶
flatboat
[ ˈflætˌboʊt ]
type of boat
A flatboat is a rectangular-shaped boat with a flat bottom, typically built of wood. These boats were commonly used in the early American frontier for transporting goods and people along rivers. Flatboats were especially popular in the 18th and 19th centuries before steamboats became prevalent.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The traders loaded their goods onto the flatboat.
- Flatboats were essential for moving produce down the Mississippi River.
- They built a flatboat to travel to the market.
- Flatboats could carry large quantities of freight.
- In the summer, many flatboats would be found navigating the river.
Translations
Translations of the word "flatboat" in other languages:
🇵🇹 barco plano
🇮🇳 फ्लैटबोट
🇩🇪 Flachboot
🇮🇩 perahu datar
🇺🇦 плоскодонка
🇵🇱 łódź płaskodenna
🇯🇵 フラットボート
🇫🇷 bateau plat
🇪🇸 bote plano
🇹🇷 düz bot
🇰🇷 평선
🇸🇦 قارب مسطح
🇨🇿 plochá loď
🇸🇰 plochá loď
🇨🇳 平底船
🇸🇮 ploska ladja
🇮🇸 flatur bátur
🇰🇿 жіңішке қайық
🇬🇪 ბრტყელი ნავი
🇦🇿 düz qayıq
🇲🇽 bote plano
Word origin
The term 'flatboat' originated in the early 19th century in the United States, stemming from the combination of 'flat,' describing its shape, and 'boat,' a general term for a watercraft. The design was influenced by earlier boat-building techniques, including those used by Native Americans, and adapted by European settlers to suit the needs of transporting goods along the nation's rivers. Flatboats played a crucial role in the expansion of commerce during the westward expansion of the United States, enabling farmers and merchants to move their produce to markets efficiently. Over time, advancements in technology led to the decline of flatboats as steamboats and other forms of transportation became more common, but they remain a significant part of America's maritime history.