Создать приложение с определенной версией React

// if changing the create-react-app  script version does nothing then
npx create-react-app

//edit the package.json for react 
{	
  	"react": "^16.0.0",
	"react-dom": "^16.0.0",
}

// run in terminal in the project folder
npm i

// and it will work
Pishach