The first known inhabitants of this area, who are now called “The Native Americans“ or “Indians“, crossed the Bering Strait about 35 000 years ago and spread through out the whole continent. They were living mostly from agriculture, hunting, picking fruits and herbs, and fishing.
Although we know that the Vikings established a colony somewhere along the North American east coast at the beginning of the 11th century, we have no proof about their presence on USA territory.
North America didn’t have any sources of gold that would attract the main world powers, so its colonisation is of a quite later date. It also enabled smaller countries to establish their owns colonies here. They profited mainly from the fur trade and newly discovered plants like corn, tobacco or potatoes.
The first documented European settlement is from 1565. It was Spain that colonised the area of Florida, Texas, Mexico, and California. France colonised the central part up to the Mississippi river (called Louisiana). The Netherlands established the colony New Amsterdam. Sweden built Fort Christina. England had difficulties at first but at the end succeeded[1] in establishing Jamestown in Virginia (1607). Many British settlers were Puritans, who came to the New World to gain religious freedom. The area of their settlement was called New England and its centre was Boston. While Virginia settlers grew tobacco, New Englanders concentrated on trade.
More and more colonies were established in the 17th century, southern plantations could no longer obtain an adequate supply of English workers and so they decided to introduce slavery to America. Southern plantations soon became relied on the labour of slaves.
Unfortunately England decided that certain products from colonies could be sold only in the mother country and England had the privilege in importing goods to the colonies. This act was a disaster for the economy of the colonies.
In the year 1773 colonists in Boston threw British tea worth more then 10 000 pounds to the see. This act is called the Boston Tea Party. Thirteen American colonies united and decided to revolt against the British rule. War broke out in 1775. The British army was far more powerful but the situation changed after France decided to help the revolting colonies.
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