Settling of the west coast of North America by a non-European power

The west coast of North America wasn't truly settled by Europeans until about a century or more after the European settling of the east coast.

Now that coast was however known and somewhat explored. Could another group like the Japanese or Chinese with knowledge of the existence of North America launch a colonization expedition some time in the 16th or 17th century and beat the Europeans there?
 
The west coast of North America wasn't truly settled by Europeans until about a century or more after the European settling of the east coast.

Now that coast was however known and somewhat explored. Could another group like the Japanese or Chinese with knowledge of the existence of North America launch a colonization expedition some time in the 16th or 17th century and beat the Europeans there?

Maybe Polynesians ?
 

GdwnsnHo

Banned
I think that an interesting possibility for this is the Majapahit. If they can reform and maintains a strong Indonesian Empire, then expanding quietly eastwards across the islands seems like a solid approach that doesn't lead to war. Sure there may not be vast resources, but there is plenty of sea. Contact with the Polynesians, and knowledge of Hawai'i could certainly lead to knowledge of the Americas. Considering the importance of the sea and navies to them, I'd expect they'd have the best chance of establishing a colonial route to the Americas.

Plus, if they can take advantage of the Equatorial counter-current, they can hit mexico, and then use the other currents to come straight back home. Unlike Japan that would have to circle half the Pacific on their routes.

(To be honest, I believe there is a certain mongolian timeline that takes advantage of this current, and I think it was magnificent).
 
I always favour a good Zheng He Discovers America scenario. I imagine China treating the Natives better, as 15th century Chinese would not have had imperialist ambitions. It would probably be more trade-oriented.
 
The answer just always comes back to how big the Pacific Ocean is. While yes, the Polynesians did visit South America at least once, they never tried any real colonization, because even their closest settlements were far and the resources required would be so great. For anyone else its even worse, because no one really has the naval tradition or the islands to hop from to be able to cross the ocean.



This map, while unrelated, is based over the Pacific Ocean and shows just how large it is, especially compared to the Atlantic, and that took the ocean knowledgeable and wind favored Europeans up to 3 months to cross! I just think East-West colonization from Asia is very improbable, if not impossible without a very early POD.

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The Polynesians definitely came to America: the main evidence is the westward spread of the sweet potato in the pre-colonial Pacific. But I don't think any individual group of Polynesians had the numbers to create any lasting colony. Suppose a group of Hawaiians stumbles upon Baja California, and suppose they convince a group to follow them with all that they would need for colonization. Then what? I don't think there will be a huge lasting impact from such an undertaking. Some butterfly effects, sure, but the West Coast is not going to become Hawaiianized.
 
As for motivation what if the Chinese or Japanese hear stories about all the gold being discovered by the Spanish in the 1500's and figure they want to get a piece of that pie?

I'm actually surprised in the period from about 1500-~1700 when there was only a tenuous European grasp on the west coast something wasn't attempted?
 
I always favour a good Zheng He Discovers America scenario. I imagine China treating the Natives better, as 15th century Chinese would not have had imperialist ambitions. It would probably be more trade-oriented.

First, Zheng He's fleet was a fleet to establish dominance and not a fleet of exploration, and second, Zheng He regularly undertook "Proto-colonialist" actions with that fleet.
 
There's a TL around here about a Mongol expedition to Indonesia somehow leading to the Americas. Latest update I think was up with 'Sinified' American empires competing against the alt-Ming in the Philippines.
 
I can very well see the Spanish giving California to Japanese Catholic refugees. It doesn't necessarily fit into the demands of the OP, but it would surely be an interesting scenario.
 
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