S.C. Sea Grant Consortium

S.C. Sea Grant Publications

Coastal Heritage – Early Europeans in America: Hurricanes Steer the Course of History

Since Europeans began settling North America, hurricanes have altered the course of history. Hurricanes helped determine which nations would settle the Atlantic coast and where they would build the first colonial outposts. From the Chesapeake Bay to the Carolinas to Florida, the dreams of explorers and colonialists were often capsized by giant storms, which created long-lasting impacts on our heritage.