<P> The European colonization of the Americas describes the history of the settlement and establishment of control of the continents of the Americas by various European powers . Starting in either the 10th or 11th century , West Norse sailors explored and briefly settled on the shores of present - day Canada , according to Icelandic Sagas , but violent conflicts with the indigenous population ultimately led to the Norse abandoning those settlements . </P>
who were the first non native settlers in the us
European colonization