North America in modern times is seen as a land of freedom where people of all different races live together in harmony. Discrimination due to skin color, ethnicity, gender and sexual preference is punishable by law. With these laws in place one could argue that America was founded with the same foundation. Paradoxically, when the European powers decided to place North America under English rule, random acts of violence and discrimination were common. While America's conquest is thought to be based on freedom, equal rights, and freedom, evidence suggests that it was founded on European dominance, the spread of religion, genocide, and the exploitation of slave labor. When the first waves of settlers arrived, they unwittingly brought disease with them, marking the beginning of the genocide of Native Americans. The Columbian Exchange is a process based on the exchange of goods, diseases, animals and raw materials, from Africa and Europe to America. The spread of the disease allowed the natives to almost completely die while the colonists were immune. “In some areas, typhus, influenza, measles, and smallpox wiped out 90 percent of native populations by 1600” (Clark, p. 13). Although the exchange resulted in many casualties, it also sparked foreign agricultural demand for tobacco. As the Native American population continues to disappear, the English have an open opportunity to eradicate the rest. While the Spanish and French sought to convert the Indians to Christianity, the Virginia settlers sought to exercise colonial rule. From a European perspective, the Indians did not properly utilize their land due to the lack of permanent buildings. Unintentionally, the English let their animals loose, causing... middle of paper... and were able to turn their economy around. Although they were financially successful, the colonists also spread the ideology of European domination. Superiority was the greedy driving force of expansion, but it was only achievable through brute force, exploitation, and slavery. They wanted the world to know that they would not stop until their desires were fulfilled, no matter the cost. Works Cited Taylor, Alan (2001) American Colonies: The Settlement of North America. New York: Penguin.Jordon, Don and Michael Walsh (2008) White Cargo: The Forgotten History of White British Slaves in America. New York: NYU Press.Clark, Christopher et. al. (2008) Who Built America? Workers and the history of the nation. Volume One: To 1877. New York: Bedford St. Martin's. Selected Statutes of Virginia Relating to Slavery http://www.virtualjamestown.org/slavelink.html