Final answer:
America's first great poet is often considered to be a Puritan, reflecting the religious and cultural influences of the time in early colonial America. The Maya civilization developed the first writing system in the Western Hemisphere, and Portugal initiated the era of Atlantic exploration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many scholars believe that America's first great poet was a Puritan. This acknowledgment often goes to figures such as Anne Bradstreet or Edward Taylor, who expressed their religious devotion and life experiences through poetry in early colonial America. John Eliot, known as the Apostle to the Indians, was a Puritan minister who worked to convert Native Americans to Christianity by translating the Bible into the local Algonquian language.
This effort highlighted the complex relationships between Puritans and Native peoples during colonial times. Additionally, the Maya civilization is credited with developing the first writing system in the Western Hemisphere. The era of Atlantic exploration was initiated by Portugal, which was also later followed by Spain, France, and England in seeking new territories. The Spanish were the first to establish colonies in the Americas and the Inca are well-known for their extensive and sophisticated road system that rivaled that of the Romans.