American History Re-examined

America wasn’t discovered by accident. It was already home to millions of people.

For thousands of years, Indigenous nations lived across the land, with cities,

trade routes, and governments. Then in 1492, European exploration changed everything—not because the

land was empty, but because power was shifting. Spain arrived first, followed by France

and then England. They didn’t come for freedom; they came for land, resources,

and profit. In 1607, Jamestown became England’s first permanent colony, and it almost

failed because most settlers weren’t prepared. Disease spread faster than settlements, devastating entire Indigenous

communities. Colonization also expanded slavery, as enslaved Africans were forced to