Final answer:
The scenario where Pilgrims never made landfall suggests alternate historical developments for North America, yet by their time, Europeans were already aware of and interested in the continent and it likely would have been settled by other colonial powers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks to consider a hypothetical scenario of where we might be if the Pilgrims had never landed in the New World. to address this, we must reflect on the alternative paths of European exploration. European explorers such as Christopher Columbus were seeking routes to Asia when they stumbled upon the Americas. Norse explorers had reached the region much earlier, as evidenced by the L'Anse aux Meadows settlements from around 1000 CE. The colonization by the Pilgrims at Plymouth started centuries later in 1620. this arrival led to significant events in North American history, but European influence in the New World was already present due to earlier explorations and settlements.
If the Pilgrims had not made landfall, the development of North America might have followed a different trajectory. However, by the time of their arrival, the continent was already known to Europeans, and other colonial powers were exploring and claiming parts of the New World. therefore, the non-arrival of the Pilgrims would not have kept Europeans from eventually settling and developing the land. The continent's fortunes would have been shaped differently, influenced by the interests and actions of other colonial powers of that era.