1) In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed west from Spain in an attempt to reach Asia but instead landed in the Caribbean, beginning European exploration and colonization of the Americas. 2) Over the next few centuries, European powers including Spain, England, France, and the Netherlands established colonies throughout North and South America for wealth, trade, and religion. 3) The early English colonies included Jamestown in 1607 and Plymouth in 1620, while other colonies like Maryland and Pennsylvania embraced religious tolerance. Colonization brought not only Europeans but also African slaves and farmers from other nations.