Eurpean Settlement

[ashleydean]

How did the early settlement of the North American continent contribute to the formation of its policies, and eventually its government?

[jno]

if you mean Native Americans coming over from Russia during the Ice Age ('Red Indians'), hardly at all.

[dot.hawkes]

no i don't think Europe was there during the ice age lol I toiok it that they mean the British and the Franch and the development of the republic but what about canada?

[jno]

well, I think the earliest settlers were Spanish - founded St Augustine in Florida, got as far inland as Kansas searching for gold, ran 'Mexico' - stretching up into the south west and California. But I don't think in the long run they contributed much to the government at all. If you don't mean just the USA, then they had a strong infuence on modern Mexico.

[Stu in USA]

Weren't the first European settlers Vikings? Eric the Red and Leif Ericson I believe. So the answer is "not a lot"