Where did the Spanish, French, Dutch, and English settle in the New World?

Question

Where did the Spanish, French, Dutch, and English settle in the New World?

Answer 1

The Spanish settled all along the coasts of North, Central, and South America, from California east to the Mississippi River and including Florida. They settled all of Mexico and Central America, and the larger islands in the Caribbean (smaller ones were taken by the other three). In South America, they had claims to everything except Brazil and the three Guyanas in the northeast part of the continent.

The French settled in the St.Lawrence area of Canada, spreading down to modern-day Ontario and then to the areas along the Mississippi, to the west of Britain's Atlantic colonies. They had claims to St. Domingue (modern-day Haiti) and the smallest Guyana, French Guyana, which they still remain control of today.

The Dutch laid claim to Manhattan Island and the Hudson River area in North America, but those were taken by the British. They had numerous colonization attempts in the Caribbean, many of which were destroyed by France and Great Britain. In South America, they controlled the middle Guyana (Dutch Guyana) which eventually gained its independence as Suriname. Today, they still remain hold of some small islands in the Lesser Antilles (Aruba, Netherlands Antilles).

The English gained influences in primarily North America, along the eastern Atlantic coast (which would become the 13 colonies of the U.S.) Their defeats of the French in the French and Indian War granted them control of the Canadian and Mississippian settlements the French had established (which they later extended, in Canada's case). They also gained numerous areas in the Caribbean, including the island of Jamaica, the territories of British Honduras (modern-day Belize) and the Mosquito Coast (the eastern coast of modern-day Nicaragua). Their territories in the Lesser Antilles includes Barbados, British Virgin Islands, and the Caymans. Many others became independent.

I know that's a ton to absorb, but I hope it helps.

Answer 2

if you look at the main languages spoken in areas of the Americas, you will get a broad idea of the colonial powers that were in charge over the course of time.

here are a couple links

http://encarta.msn.com/media_461517442_7...

http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/history/mig...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_co...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_for...

Answer 3

There are about a hundred countries in all so I won't list them. But this site:

http://www.pickens.k12.sc.us/dhsteachers...

has some excellant maps.