Abstract
Settlement in America came first from Asia and happened long before 1492. The first Americans came from Siberia around 15,000–20,000 years ago. More followed about 9,000 years ago, and a further wave 5,000 years ago. ‘Encounters’ charts the settlement and migration of people to and within America from those first settlers to the arrival of the European colonizers. The impact of the colonization of America was huge for Native Americans. The Europeans bought plants, animals, and diseases. They killed off native habitats. Despite the demographic disaster and the ecological changes, the native people survived in sufficient numbers to hinder and slow down colonial expansion. The native people adapted to their changing circumstances and defended their home.