European countries colonized other lands in the 1500s due to dwindling natural resources and overpopulation at home. The colonization of places like America by European powers like England, France, and Spain brought new opportunities but resulted in the deaths and enslavement of millions of Native Americans. Colonialism represented a horrific period in history defined by genocide, slavery, and the destruction of indigenous groups through death, forced relocation, and intermarriage as colonists expanded into new territories with superior weapons and technology.

1. Colonial History notes, part 2

2. One reason many European countries colonized other land and people is because many European
countries were running out of natural resources.

3. In Europe by the 1500's and on, there was much deforestation and poverty, and the population was
becoming too great for the land and government to handle

4. By colonizing Americans, for example, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish colonist were able to
have new lands and opportunities, but the process millions of Native American were killed and
enslaved

5. Indeed, the European colonization of the Americas was perhaps the bloodiest and most horrific time
in human history

6. Besides the genocide of Native Americans, European colonists brought African slaves to the Americas
to work, especially after finding out that Native Americans would just die in slavery

7. Imagine in this: men, who you've never seen before, come to your house and your neighbors house
and they all have as much weapons as they can carry

8. Then they start killing or enslaving you, your family, and your neighbors

9. And you and your family and your neighbors fight back but are crushed by the men's superior
weapons

10. And soon, you and most of your family and your neighbors are gone--killed, enslaved, intermarried, or
forced to live somewhere else

11. this is what colonialism is: death, it is slavery; it is the end of one group and the expansion of another
group