What was a key factor that made New Orleans a vital port for those in the Ohio Valley?

New Orleans became a vital port for those in the Ohio Valley primarily because it served as a significant trade center strategically located near the mouth of the Mississippi River. This positioning allowed it to function as a crucial hub for the transportation of goods moving from the interior of the United States to international markets. The Mississippi River was the major inland waterway for transporting agricultural outputs and other freight from the Ohio Valley and beyond, directly to New Orleans, where these goods could be loaded onto ships for export.

The trade routes accessing the Mississippi River provided farmers and merchants in the Ohio Valley with a direct avenue to the global economy. As such, New Orleans played a critical role in facilitating commerce, helping to establish economic connections between various regions and ports worldwide. This made it indispensable for those exporting goods from the fertile areas of the Ohio Valley.