European colonization of the Americas

European colonization of the Americas was when European explorers and settlers traveled to the Americas (now North and South America) from Europe, from the 1500s to the 1700s. They built towns, farms and churches and expanded their cultural and political influence by getting involved in local politics and trading with the locals. With this new presence, they also had a huge impact in terms of introducing European diseases and changing the landscape of the region, often to the detriment of the Indigenous people who already lived there. Over time, the European settlers began to develop their own distinct cultures as their influences mixed.