History of The United States - Colonial Period

Colonial Period

Main article: Colonial history of the United States

After a period of exploration sponsored by major European nations, the first settlements were established about 1600. Europeans brought horses, cats, cattle, and hogs to the Americas and, in turn, took back to Europe maize, turkeys, potatoes, tobacco, beans, and squash. The disease environment was deadly for many explorers and early settlers exposed to new diseases. The impact of new disease was even worse on the Native Americans, especially smallpox and measles. They died in very large numbers, usually before large-scale European settlement began.

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