Power
Shifts North
nIn the sixteenth century, the exploratory initiative moved from the Portuguese and Spanish to strong northern European states—Britain, Holland, and France.
nThey had improved oceanic vessel design, while Portugal and Spain were busy digesting their colonial gains.
nThe British naval victory over Spain in 1588 left general ocean dominance to northern nations.
nThe French first crossed the Atlantic in 1534 and soon established settlements in Canada.
nThe British reached North America in 1497, beginning colonization of its east coast during the seventeenth century.
