North America – World Countries for Kids

Brief History The original inhabitants of Jamaica were the Arawaks, who came from South America. They named the island Xaymaca, which meant “land of wood and water.” In 1494, Christopher Columbus was the first European to arrive in Jamaica. The Spaniards enslaved the Arawaks, and by 1600, they were completely…

Brief History The land that is now Honduras was once inhabited by many different indigenous peoples—notably the Maya, whose civilization encompassed most of the Central American bridge between North and South America. The Lenca and Toltec civilizations also left their mark on Honduras, but native power in the region diminished…

Brief History Hati makes up half of the island of Hispaniola, which has been inhabited for about 7000 years, first by native Americans who arrived from Central and South America, and later by people who arrived from Europe and Africa. In 1492, the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus landed in Haiti,…

Brief History Guatemala has been inhabited by humans for over 14,000 years, and pre-Columbian history can be pieced together using artifacts and archaeology. The Maya civilization built large, complex monuments and structures as early as 3,000 years ago, many of which have only been recently discovered as they are buried…

The first inhabitants of Grenada were the Arawak-speaking Amerindians from South America. Evidence shows that the Amerindians were agriculturists and fishermen. They were driven out by the Caribs. Christopher Columbus reportedly sighted Grenada during his third voyage to the New World in 1498. In 1650, the French governor of Martinique…

Brief History The first known inhabitants of El Salvador were the Olmecs who lived in the area during 2000 B.C. followed by the Mayans in 1500 B.C. In 11 A.D., the nomadic Pipils migrated to the area from Mexico and began an agrarian lifestyle. Spanish conquerors took over the area…

Brief History The Dominican Republic is a part of the island Hispaniola. It was originally inhabited by the Arawak people. On December 6, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on the northwestern part of the island and claimed it for Spain. The population of the Arawak people severely declined due to diseases…

Brief History The first inhabitants of Dominica were the Ortoroids, who came to the island from South America. They arrived around 3100 B.C. and lasted until around 400 B.C. The Arawak people inhabited the island around 400 A.D. By 1400, The warring Caribs people wiped the Arawaks off of the…

Brief History The first settlers of Cuba were the Guanahatabey, Ciboney  and Taino people. Christopher Columbus was the first European to reach Cuba in 1492, and he claimed the land for Spain. In 1511, Diego Velasquez conquered Cuba and founded several settlements. Many of the native people died of European…

Brief History The land that is now Canada was first home to indigenous peoples who lived off of the land. The first Europeans to discover Canada were the Vikings when in 1001 Leif Ericksson landed and named the area Vinland. The Vikings had to later leave their established colony because…

Brief History The history of Belize dates back thousands of years to the time of the Mayans. The Mayans were an advanced civilization, they were skilled in mathematics, created their own calendar, and came up with the concept of the zero. The Mayans spread in the area that is now…

Brief History Officially known as Antigua and Barbuda, the island nation is made up of two main islands, Antigua and Barbuda. It was the great explorer Christopher Columbus on one of his voyages to the region in 1493 that he first sighted the islands that are now Antigua and Barbuda.…

Brief History As early as 300 to 400 AD, people from Cuba migrated to The Bahamas and lived on seafood. Then from around 900-1500 AD, the Lucayan people settled on the islands. When Christopher Colombus arrived in the New World in 1492, there were about 40,000 Lucayans residing in The…

Brief History The first indigenous inhabitants of Barbados were the Amerindians who had come from Venezuela. They were called the Arawaks, and in 1200 they were conquered by the Caribs. Later Portuguese came to Barbados from Brazil, they called the island Los Barbados (bearded-ones) presumably because the islands fig trees…