Native peoples of America had no immunity to the diseases that European explorers and colonists brought with them. Diseases such as smallpox, influenza, measles, and even chicken pox proved deadly to American Indians. Europeans were used to these diseases, but Indian people had no resistance to them.

Before Europeans arrived in North America, Native peoples inhabited every region. Native Americans turned wild plants such as corn, potatoes, pumpkin, yams, and lima beans into farm crops for human consumption. More than half of modern American farm products were grown by Native Americans before British colonization.

Today, we look at the Saami people of Europe, who live in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The Saami (previously known in English as Laplanders) are the only recognised indigenous people of Europe. But they rarely make international headlines.

Turtle Island

If Europeans never colonized and invaded America, the native nations and tribes would continue to interact in trade. Eventually, trade with East Asia and Europe would introduce new technologies and animals into the continent and tribes would quickly grow into nations.

Many countries celebrate Independence Day to rejoice that they are no longer under colonial rule. Very few countries have never been either a colonizing power or become colonized. They include Saudi Arabia, Iran, Thailand, China, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Ethiopia.

Depending on how you define it, the only countries that were never colonies are Liberia, Ethiopia, Japan, Thailand, Bhutan, Iran, Nepal, Tonga, China, and possibly North Korea, South Korea and Mongolia. Some historians nitpick over this list.

Italy was too weak and fragmented to win colonies, and never an Atlantic power. And under foreign rule for a lot of the time. Germany when unified did acquire some colonies, taken away after World War One.