About this episode

The episode explores the American story before Columbus, focusing on Indigenous cultures and the impact of European colonization.

Episode 1, “Encounter and Conquest,” begins the American story before Columbus, with the Indigenous peoples, cultures, cities, and trade networks that already filled the continent. From there, the episode traces the arrival of European powers, the ambitions that drove exploration, the devastation of disease and slavery, the rise of Spanish and French colonization, and the surprising connection between the Protestant Reformation and English expansion. It is a story of encounter, ambition, mission, exploitation, and empire—and a reminder that Christians must tell history with both gratitude and honesty.

People in this episode

Host: Matthew Castro

Topics covered

• Indigenous peoples
• European exploration
• colonization
• disease
• slavery
• Protestant Reformation
• historical narrative

Keywords

• Indigenous peoples
• European powers
• colonization
• disease
• slavery
• Protestant Reformation
• historical narrative

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Spanish colonization, French colonization

Places: America, Columbus

More episodes of The Partners and Citizens Podcast

• At 250 Years: Colonies and Commerce · June 21, 2026 · 46 min
• At 250 Years: The American Story Preview · June 16, 2026 · 5 min

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