The Colonization Of America, Australia And Antarctica

During the 1400s, Europeans knew little of the world surrounding them. Outside of Europe and the Mediterranean, little was known, with rumors and imagination filling the gaps. They had no real concept of the size or shape of Africa and Asia and had no clue of America, Australia and Antarctica. Europeans began their explorations of the world starting in the late 1400s, with Columbus’ discovery of the Americas. Here, he discovered that this land was already inhabited and had been civilized for centuries by a native people. These were the Native Americans, who have been there since 13,000 B.C. These Natives used nature to their advantage, and lived in harmony with other tribes, having strong family ties. The Natives had different values†¦show more content†¦Beginning in the summer of 1675 the King Philip s War started and never stopped, as Native American resisted colonial expansion. These Europeans had eliminated approximately forty percent of the Native American popu lation in New England. This war later led to the Natives struggling in their own communities. Colonists had succeeded and the Native American population declined drastically in New England. Much of the Native American population died to new mysterious diseases, including smallpox, typhus, cholera, and measles. These diseases were brought by the colonists and in fact the population of Native Americans in New England fell in 1675, from 10,000 to 125,000. The Europeans also took over land through trade and by expanding their land claims. The next encounter with natives and colonists was in New York and New France. The first French colonists had arrived at the St. Lawrence Valley with around 400 soldiers, 300 sailors and only a few women. Many though passed over the following two years due to scurvy, a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C. France then sent an explorer in 1608, to Quebec, Samuel de Champlain, in order to establish the New France colony. Champlain already had experience with these natives and allied with the Hurons, who were located on the lower Great Lakes, as well as the Algonquins and Montagnais