The first attempt at permanent settlement was in 1587 on Roanoke Island, in what is now North Carolina. It was unsuccessful. The first successful permanent settlement was in Jamestown, Virginia. It was founded in 1607 and suffered some terrible hardships but ultimately it prevailed.
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The first Europeans to the area were led by French explorer, Samuel de Champlain in 1609. A fort and settlement were not established until 1666 and it was soon abandoned. The first permanent settlement was built by the English in 1724. The French built a fort and small village in 1731. Following the French and Indian War, France relinquished all of its North American territories to the British.
In 1607, the settlement of Raleigh was founded in the Virginia colony. It was the first British settlement of its kind in North America.
Spain had established a permanent settlement in North America before 1600. St. Augustine was established as a fort in 1565. It was the first permanent settlement in what would become the United States.
The first permanent Spanish settlement in North America was St. Augustine in what became Florida. It was established in September of 1565.
Although it is an oversimplification, it is often said that the major difference between the settlement of the American West and the Canadian West, is that in America the people preceded the law, whereas in Canada the law preceded the people. The North West Mounted Police made their appearance on Canada's prairies before large numbers of settlers arrived. They were well-established beforehand, and maintained law and order throughout the settlement of the West.