Native Americans had lived throughout the continent for thousands of years before Europeans began exploring the "New World- in the 15th century. Native Americans excelled at using natural resources and adapting to the climates and terrains in which they lived. They had distinctive social and political systems, clothing styles, shelters, foods, languages, and spiritual and philosophical beliefs. When European explorers and settlers began to arrive in the America in the 15th century, Native Americans found themselves faced with a new set of challenges. .
The first encounter that Native American found themselves faced with is physical change. There are many physical changes such as land, animals and people etc. Upon arriving in the Americas to change their life, Europeans needed the land to live, grew agricultural products and raised livestock. And they seemed to want also to establish their rule in that area. For example: "The English established settlements on the Atlantic Coast, and the French built towns along the Mississippi River Valley- (p.4-A People's History of The United States-HOWARD ZINN). European settlers soon displaced many of the remaining Native American land. They wanted them out of the way; they wanted their land. Consequently, Native people were forcibly removed or simply crowded out of their lands. They must find other places to live but many of them died on a long journey in difficult weather with little food or water. "This forced exodus came to be known among the Cherokee as the Trail of Tears-.(p.6-A People's History of The United States-HOWARD ZINN) .
In addition, the arrival of Europeans has also affected animals and trees of the Americas. Native women American farmed and gathered food in the woods. Men hunted, fished, and made war. None of these peoples kept herds of domestic animals; they relied on abundant wild animal for food. They just hunted enough animal to eat "Whenever you went hunting you always gave the best part to us and kept only the smallest part for yourself- (p .