Obviously, the discovery of two whole new continents changed our history immensely. America's discovery changed the whole world, and led Europe out of the Middle Ages, coupled with the Renaissance. After the discovery of the New World, Spain and Portugal dominated the continents for a century and a half before several other European powers joined in. The colonization era ultimately decided which countries would excell and which would be lost to history. AH fans often wonder what history would be like if America was discovered earlier, later, and by somebody other than the Spanish. The following links concern discussion about a Different Discovery and Colonization of the Americas.
Discusson on an empty America - soc.history.what-if's Empty America TL is mentioned and discussed, along with the “climatic versus human influence” theory of North American megafauna extinction.
WI: Native Americans never crossed over from Asia
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The outcome of Native Americans not being discovered - Very little discussion, idea of Bronze Age America mentioned.
No Paleo-Indian migrations to the New World, later Siberian and other migrations instead
ASB WI: Proto-Indo-Europeans copied to Yucatan in 5000 BC
Phoenicians in America (POD ideas)
Challenge: Phoenician/Punic/Greek colonization of the Americas
Plausibility discussion: Romans land in New World (1)
Plausibility discussion: Romans land in New World (2)
Plausibility discussion: Roman colonisation of the Americas
No Classic Mesoamerican Collapse
WI: No Mississippian Culture implosion
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Ideas about more developed medieval era Amerindian civilizations
Why didn't urban Native American cultures move particularly far north ?
Challenge: American natives technologically even with Europeans by the 15th century AD
WI the Greenlandic Norse adapt and adopt Inuit culture ?
Vikings discover and fully colonize America
Surviving Vinland colony ideas (1)
Surviving Vinland colony ideas (2)
Plausibility check: How far could a Vinland colony grow ?
The long-term geo-political consequences of Vinland's survival ?
Plausibility check: Vinland not only growing, but eventually becoming a superpower
WI European diseases spread to the New World during the Dark Ages ?
WI: The Knights Templar colonizing North America (like according to some legends)
WI every wacky "pre-Columbian colonisation" scenario was true ?
Challenge: Colonization of America in the 1100s/1200s
Plausibility check: Abubakri II (Abu Bakr II) of Mali arrives in South America
Cuisine and foods of a Japanese/Korean/Chinese colonized west coast of North America ?
Discussion of whether colonization styles were based more off the times than the nations
Could the Americas have been settled by the Europeans in the Middle Ages (11th century onward) ?
Colonization of the Americas by one European power - Discussion mostly on how to achieve a united Europe for such a goal.
America discovered by an already industrial Europe
Alternate North American colonizers ?
Plausibility check: America not discovered for another 500 years ?
Plausibility check: European colonization of the Americas runs into problems
Germans discover America - Discusses how an expedition might be funded.
Plausibility check: Order states in the Americas ?
What if a city state discovers the New World ?
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Columbus does not discover America - Various possible scenarios.
Columbus sinks - The possibility of secret Portuguese colonization of the Americas mentioned.
WI The Columbian Expedition was a complete failure ?
WI the Ottomans made it to America ?
Greater Amerindian immunity to Old World diseases ?
What would colonization of the New World without gunpowder look like ?
Challenge: The Aztec and Inca empires survive
More colonization of the Americas by Spain
Limited Colonization in the Americas
Dominant Europe with earlier discovery of America ?
Challenge: New Sweden survives
WI: Swedish settle in OTL Quebec instead of OTL New Sweden and vice versa ?
Challenge: Roanoke Colony Survives and Succeeds ?
Challenge: Other European Colonizers in the New World
Challenge: Federal Republic of South America
WI No African Slave trade in the New World
Challenge: Avoid Black slavery
Ramifications of a sudden decline of the sugar cane industry after the 1740s
Plausibility check: British Penal colonies on American mainland (outside Canada) after 1783
WI: Jewish State in the Americas
Most widespread Asian diaspora possible in Latin America
A proper name for the American (US) South ?
Challenge: Scandinavian Patagonia
Challenge: France regains North American colonies
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Colonizing America is Hard - Discussion on plausibility problems with earlier or more easily succesful colonisation efforts in the Americas.