<P> Anonymous Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to map the eastern seaboard of the U.S. from New York to Florida, as documented in the Cantino planisphere of 1502 . However, they kept their discoveries a secret and did not attempt to settle in North America, as the Inter caetera had granted these lands to Spain, issued by Pope Alexander VI in 1493 . </P> <P> Other countries did attempt to found colonies in America over the following century, and most of these attempts ended in failure . The colonists faced high rates of death due to many reasons, including disease, starvation, inefficient resupply, conflict with American Indians, and attacks by rival European powers . </P> <P> Spain had numerous failed attempts, including San Miguel de Gualdape in Georgia (1526), Pánfilo de Narváez's expedition to Florida's Gulf coast (1528--36), Pensacola in West Florida (1559--61), Fort San Juan in North Carolina (1567--68), and the Ajacán Mission in Virginia (1570--71). </P> <P> The French failed at Parris Island, South Carolina (1562--63), Fort Caroline on Florida's Atlantic coast (1564--65), Saint Croix Island, Maine (1604 - 05), and Fort Saint Louis, Texas (1685--89). </P>

When was the first colony in america established