Final answer:
The expeditions used steamboats to move up rivers, which was made possible due to advances in steam power that allowed navigation against strong river currents, facilitating exploration and colonization efforts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expeditions and explorations mentioned in the provided text primarily used steamboats to move up rivers. Steam power revolutionized transportation, especially on waterways, by allowing vessels to travel upstream against strong currents, which was previously difficult and costly.
In North America, steamboats opened the interior by navigating the Mississippi River and others. In Africa and Asia, steamboats enabled colonization and exploration efforts by navigating rivers like the Irrawaddy and the Congo.
European exploitation, including against local populations in Africa, often accompanied this technology which allowed for the transportation of goods as well as the forceful movement of people. Steamboats had significant effects on frontier life, shipping, and colonization efforts during their prominent use in the 19th and early 20th centuries.