Final answer:
When Europeans arrived in the Americas, there were already indigenous people present, which did not legitimize the Europeans' claim to the land.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Europeans first arrived in the Americas, there were already indigenous people present. These indigenous peoples had been living on the land for centuries and had their own cultures, societies, and ways of life. The European arrival did not legitimize their claim to the land, as they had already established their own civilizations.
For example, the Americas were inhabited by millions of native people organized into tribes, who lived more in tune with nature. Although the Europeans did not find the familiar civilizations or powerful empires they were expecting, the presence of indigenous peoples did not justify European conquest.
The Europeans colonized the Americas through conquest, with indigenous people often fighting to retain their stewardship of the land. However, the Europeans' superior weapons allowed them to dominate the indigenous peoples. Therefore, the Europeans' claim to the land was not legitimized by the presence of other people.