The Americas by 1750

Several European countries had colonized the Americas from 1492-1750 The European countries with the largest colonies in the Americas were Spain, Britain, Portugal, and France By 1850, however, almost all colonies in the Americas broke away from Europe and became their own countries

North America in 1850

South America in 1860

Beginning with the American Revolution in the 1770s, most of the colonies in the Americas revolted and became independent by the middle of the 1800s Although the countries were now independent, they kept much of the heritage of their former European home countries This made the Americas extremely diverse politically, religiously, linguistically, & ethnically