The dominance of Spain and France in the 16th century along what is today the East Coast–in addition to the abundance of indigenous peoples–is not the impression left by most K-12 U.S. history. But a map of just how many Spanish and French settlements there were, particularly in the southeast, reminds us (see the full map at right, click image to enlarge):
Peaceful Valley: The Historical Geography of the Passaic River Watershed 