European Colonization of the Americas

European Colonization of the Americas As students, many individuals are taught of the history and details regarding the discovery and colonization of the American continent. References to European explorers are often provided, stressing that the discoveries and connection between the American continent and the rest of the world were as a direct result of European expansion and ingenuity. Based on investigations completed that detail the previous inhabitation and identification of the American continent by people outside of the East, this is found to be inaccurate. In the following paragraphs, details concerning the colonization of the American continent will be provided. Details regarding the cultures of the continent’s inhabitants prior to the arrival of the European explorers will be included, providing the reader with a baseline by which to compare the continent’s change after the colonization. Additionally, details regarding the motivation of European countries are presented. Information regarding the Spanish and English motivations are provided as well, providing a detailed insight into the specific governments driving the expansion and exploration. North American Cultures Prior to the arrival of the European colonists on the American continents, people had already inhabited the continent for more than 40,000 years (Reich, 2011). Utilizing the Bering Strait, nomads from the Siberia traversed the Bering Strait, reaching the lands of modern day Alaska. Once arriving on the North American continent, these people gradually expanded and migrated, inhabiting the other portions of the North and South American continents. After centuries, these various nomadic people developed their cultures and