continentcausedsignificantchanges.Thesechangesweregradualandatfirstscarcelyvisible.Buttheresultwasanewsocialpatternwhich,althoughitresembledEuropeansocietyinmanyways,hasacharacterthatwasdistinctlyAmerican.(49)ThefirstshiploadsofimmigrantsboundfortheterritorywhichisnowtheUnitedStatescrossedtheAtlanticmorethanahundredyearsafterthe15th-and-16thcenturyexplorationsofNorthAmerica.Inthemeantime,thrivingSpanishcolonieshadbeenestablishedinMexico,theWestIndies,andSouthAmerica.ThesetravelerstoNorthAmericacameinsmall,unmercifullyovercrowdedcraft.Duringtheirsix-totwelve-weekvoyage,theysurvivedonbarelyenoughfoodallottedtothem.Manyoftheshipswerelostinstorms,manypassengersdiedofdisease,andinfantsrarelysurvivedthejourney.Sometimesstormsblewthevesselsfarofftheircourse,andoftencalmbroughtunbearablylongdelay.
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