Native American societies before European contact were very well-established with trade networks already in place. They used the land to their advantage, exhibiting different characteristics based on their geographical location: Desert Southwest, Eastern Woodlands, Mississippi River Valley, Great Lakes area, Great Plains, and the Pacific Northwest. These civilizations had developed sophisticated systems of irrigation, farming, trade, fishing, and hunting, but were often unrecognized and deemed unsophisticated by the Europeans.
This period also saw the spread of maize cultivation and the beginning of the Aztec and Incan cultures in what is now known as Mexico and Central America. The Columbian Exchange introduced an exchange of food, traditions and more between Europeans and Native Americans, resulting in European population growth and Native American population loss due to diseases like smallpox and influenza.
European exploration in the New World was primarily driven by the quest for wealth, resources, trade routes, and the spread of religion, particularly Catholicism. Once the Spanish discovered gold and silver and brought it back to Europe, it spurred competition among other European countries to get involved in exploration. New technology made exploration possible, and its effects included the Columbian Exchange and the growth of European population, while also resulting in the loss of Native American population.
Spanish colonization emphasized Catholicism, the mission system, and gold/silver mining and sugar plantation. The French engaged in brutal conquest and the casta system with a focus on fur trade and fishing. The Dutch also participated in the fur trade and seaport trade, and their colonies exhibited religious diversity and strict control by governors.
The interaction between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans during this time period had a profound impact on the development of the New World, shaping how different European colonies developed and expanded. Understanding the societal structures and cultural interactions before European contact is essential to comprehending the complex and often brutal history of European exploration and colonization in the New World.
