Long before Europeans set sail across the Atlantic, the continents of North and South America were home to millions of people with rich, diverse cultures and sophisticated ways of life. Understanding who those people were, what happened to them when Europeans arrived, and how colonization reshaped the Americas is the essential starting point for all of American history.
The People of the Americas Before European Arrival
In the 1400s, European countries began developing ships capable of crossing the open ocean. Spain was the first to send ships across the Atlantic. When Spanish explorers set out, they were searching for a route to Asia — and they had no knowledge that two vast continents lay in between. They also had no idea that those continents were already home to millions of people.
The people living in North and South America before the Europeans arrived are called Native Americans The people who lived in North and South America for approximately 20,000 years before Europeans arrived. Each tribe had its own culture, language, religion, and form of government. . Native Americans had lived in the Americas for around 20,000 years before European contact. Before the Europeans arrived, there were more than 50 million Native Americans living in North and South America combined. More than 10 million of them lived on the land in North America that would eventually become the United States.
Native American peoples were extraordinarily diverse. There were many different tribes, and each had its own distinct culture, religion, traditions, language, and form of government. Some tribes were nomadic, moving across the land and relying on hunting and gathering for food. Others were settled agricultural communities, farming the land and living in permanent villages. Some tribes built large cities and developed complex systems of government and written languages — civilizations every bit as sophisticated as those in Europe.
European Colonization and Its Impact on Native Americans
By the 1500s, Spain had established colonies across much of North and South America. Other European powers — France, Portugal, and England — soon followed, creating their own colonial territories throughout the Americas.
The arrival of Europeans had a catastrophic impact on Native American populations. Millions of Native Americans died from diseases carried by Europeans, against which they had no immunity. Many more died as a result of wars and violent conflicts with European colonizers over control of the land. The scale of population loss was staggering: by the 1600s, the Native American population across the Americas had fallen from more than 50 million to around 6 million. In North America specifically, the population dropped from over 10 million to approximately 1 million.
The dramatic decline in Native American populations following European contact was caused primarily by disease, as well as by wars and conflicts with colonizers. This is one of the most significant demographic catastrophes in human history.
Spain, England, and the Race to Colonize
Spain was the pioneer of transatlantic exploration — the first European nation to send ships across the Atlantic Ocean. Initially sailing in search of a western route to Asia, Spanish explorers instead encountered the Americas. By the 1500s, Spain had built a colonial empire spanning large parts of both North and South America.
As Spain’s success became clear, other European nations moved quickly to establish their own footholds in the Americas. France, Portugal, and England all created colonies, competing with Spain and with each other for territory, resources, and trade. It was England that would eventually establish the colonies along the East Coast of North America that became the foundation of the United States.
European Powers in the Americas
Spain — first to cross the Atlantic; built colonies across North and South America by the 1500s.
France — established colonies in parts of North America, including present-day Canada and the Mississippi River region.
Portugal — colonized large parts of South America, most notably Brazil.
England — founded 13 colonies on the East Coast of North America, beginning with Jamestown in 1607.
Wrapping Up
The story of America does not begin in 1607, or even in 1492. It begins with the Native American peoples who shaped this land for tens of thousands of years before European contact. Understanding the scale and diversity of those civilizations — and the immense human cost of colonization — gives important context to everything that follows in American history. The civics test may ask specifically about how long Native Americans lived in the Americas before Europeans arrived, so make sure that figure is firmly in your memory.
Are the terms 'Native American' and 'American Indian' both acceptable?
Yes. Both terms are used in American civic life and in official government documents. The civics test uses “Native American,” so that is the term to be most familiar with, but you may encounter both in historical and contemporary sources.
Why did Native American populations decline so dramatically after European contact?
The primary cause was disease. Europeans carried illnesses — such as smallpox — to which Native Americans had no prior exposure and therefore no immunity. The death toll from disease was devastating. Conflict and warfare with European colonizers also caused significant loss of life, further reducing populations across the Americas.
Which European country was the first to send ships across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas?
- Native Americans lived in North and South America for approximately 20,000 years before Europeans arrived.
- Before European contact, more than 50 million Native Americans lived in the Americas; more than 10 million lived in what is now the United States.
- Native American tribes each had their own culture, religion, traditions, language, and form of government. Some were nomadic; others farmed; some built large cities with complex governments and written languages.
- Spain was the first European country to send ships across the Atlantic Ocean.
- By the 1500s, Spain had colonies across North and South America. France, Portugal, and England followed.
- After European arrival, millions of Native Americans died from disease and conflict. By the 1600s, the total Native American population had fallen to around 6 million, with about 1 million remaining in North America.