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1524
Giovanni da Verrazzano sailed to North America in search of a sea route to the Pacific
He did not find the route, but Verrazzano did discover what is today New York harbor. -
The nations of Europe also colonized the Caribbean
he French seized control of present-day Haiti, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. The English settled Barbados and Jamaica. -
The Dutch government granted the company permission to colonize the region and expand the fur trade.
he Dutch holdings in North America became known as New Netherland -
The Dutch captured what are now the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba from Spain
On these islands, the Europeans built huge cotton and sugar plantations. These products, although profitable, demanded a large and steady supply of labor -
Jacques Marquette explores the Mississippi river
His and others' exploration of the Mississippi helped to establish France's empire in North America. Most people who moved to French colonies in North America were traders, not settlers.