European colonization of the Americas
Although there is some debate as to whether the prehistoric Clovis culture was European in origin, are the first recognized European colonists Scandinavians who began colonization, have but then canceled. ( See also: Vinland )
Former state-sponsored colonists
The first phase of modern European activity in this region began with the ocean crossing of Christopher Columbus from Spain supports that wanted to establish a copy of his empire in America. Columbus followed by other explorers such as John Cabot, who, supported by England, came to seek the riches which the Spaniards had found. Among the next settlers were Giovanni da Verrazzano, supported by France, and according to some German sources Didrik Pining and possibly mythical poles John Scolvus, said to have been supported by Denmark.
Inspired by the subjugation of the Aztecs, Incas and other major Indian tribes in the 16th century expected the same thing the first Englishman, as they built their first settlement in Jamestown ( Virginia). The main purpose of this colony was the hope of finding gold or the possibility (or impossibility) of finding a passage through America to India. It took some strong leaders such as John Smith, to convince the colonists of Jamestown, it is not the search for gold could be their basic need and that " those who will not work, nor should he eat. " (This is a commandment from the New Testament. )
Overall, there were at the beginning of the colonial period because of its potential riches a strong urge to come to America to actually get these riches, however, were few and far between. There was no specific reason for the settlers to leave England; only the overwhelming view of extreme wealth. Although the success of these attempts failed to accumulate wealth, they led to the first permanent European settlements in the United States today.
The ocean crossings followed, especially in the case of Spain, by a phase of conquest: The Spaniards, who had just won the Reconquista against the Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula, replaced the local American oligarchies and led forcibly a new religion, a: Christianity. European diseases and cruel forced labor (the famous haciendas and mining industry) decimated the Indian population. Black African slaves were introduced to replace the Indians. On the other hand, the Spaniards not enforced to the same extent the introduction of their language and the Catholic Church as a missionary in the Indian languages Quechua, Nahuatl and Guarani, thus contributing to their dissemination and equipped it with a font. One of the first schools for Indians was founded in 1523 by Brother Pedro de grenade.
The Portuguese diverged in favor of extensive colonization of the territory of present-day Brazil from its original plan to build only a trading post.
See also: Conquistador, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquest of Yucatan, Treaty of Tordesillas, Treaty of Alcaçovas
Religious Immigration
Other groups colonists came to America in search of asylum in order to practice a religion without threat of persecution or in search of a refuge to establish a new and gottesfürchtigere settlement where a complete match could be found in theological questions. After the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century and the new and apparently radical doctrine of Calvinism, started some Europeans from their orthodox ways depart. Many churches and denominations were formed, leading to larger disagreements and tensions between Europeans led in total. Sharp persecution began in some areas, such as. By the Elizabethan Protestant troops in Catholic Ireland But there were usually less drastic circumstances that drove the people from Europe. The freedom of pristine land was for the attractive, who wanted to escape persecution and by means of a charter groups had the right to the land and the right to live as it seemed best to them. Some colonies were founded as ports for certain religious groups, while others offered a refuge for each group who pray according to their nature, believe and wanted to live. Other settlements, such as Pennsylvania, have been designed to guarantee a safe harbor for certain groups (such as the Quakers), but were also open to other faiths and a complete religious freedom. The stories of these successful colonies overshadowed the stories of American persecution ( as in the case of Anne Hutchinson ) and attracted the suffering people from the Old World continued.
Economic immigrants
Many of the other immigrants to the American colonies came for economic reasons. From the beginning of English settlement to the 1680s, most of the immigrants were indentured laborers who were in the overseas colonies of a new life. For example, formed during the 17th century indentured laborers three quarters of all European immigrants to the Chesapeake Bay region. Most of the contracted workers were originally English farm laborers who had been driven from their land due to the expansion of the livestock industry. This unfortunate turn of facts served as the engine for hundreds of thousands (mostly single men ) to leave England. There was, after all hope because American landowners needed workers and were willing to pay the workers the crossing, if this worked with them for several years. These views attracted many single, homeless farm workers who were looking for a fresh start and a way to escape poverty in a rich country. However, the lives of these employees was hard. They watched as available land was taken over by others while their service time passed very slowly and the work was more and more difficult. In addition, these many men could not find enough suitable women to start families with them. Although the lives of those tied workers was hard, they put a large part of the national population and they began a climb up the social ladder.
In the British and French regions, soon the focus of resource exploitation began to shift to trading with the Indians. The Russians did the same on the northwest coast of North America. After the Seven Years War, Britain captured all the French possessions in North America.
Forced Immigration
Slavery under European rule began with the import of white European slaves (or tied workers), followed by the enslavement of " natives " in the Caribbean. When the native population had been decimated by disease, it was replaced by Africans imported through a large-scale slave trade. Since the 18th century introduced Negro slaves the overwhelming proportion of slaves, while European and Native American slaves were less common. The Africans who were brought on slave ships were driven by resident on the coast tribes from their African homelands and captured and brought to America by slave traders who paid the resident on the coast tribes with rum - kegs. A total of 400,000 Africans were brought to America as slaves. And they flocked because of the good business even after the American Revolutionary War in the ports of Charleston (South Carolina) and Newport (Rhode Iceland ).