The colonization of America started around 1520, when the Spanish entered North America after the fall of Mexico. St. Augustine in Florida became the first European settlement, based on North American soil. Today these areas are American, but many of them still bare Spanish names such as Albuquerque and San Antonio.

In 1608 the French founded the city Québec, in what is now called Canada. They colonized land along the St Lawrence by the 1630s and in 1663 they were in possession of their own colony named New France. Expeditions along the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico discovered lands now known as Louisiana. More examples of colonized areas in the name of France were Detroit in Michigan and Mobile in Alabama.

England founded their first colony in 1607 at Jamestown, Virginia. The period from 1607 to about 1624 was characterized by sickness and hunger, and many colonists died. However, by 1934 Virginia’s population was increasing, reaching 40000 in the 1670s.

The inhabitants tried to grow sugar canes, lemons, oranges and more without success, before tobacco was discovered in 1612. This was the beginning of something the South has become well known for: its plantations

Social class structures were a crucial component regarding education in the South. Children of wealthy parents were quite often sent to schools in England. Due to the great distances between plantations, private tutors were common. The South got their first college in 1693: College of William and Mary in Virginia.

When the first conquistadors came to the New World, they found a land with great potential for agriculture. The south made use of this by growing tobacco, which became a huge success in both America and Europe, and also corn, wheat, rice and the colour indigo. Large plantations were made, planters and landowners were often wealthy.

Some topics in this essay:
Jamestown Virginia, France Anglo-French, Plymouth Boston, Puritan England, Yale University, Rhode Island, Atlantic Colonies, Puritans England, Methodists Lutherans, Richard Tilghman, middle atlantic, rhode island, colonial america, south plantations, social class, declaration independence, university established, richard tilghman, middle colonies, methodists lutherans,