Final answer:
Spain was the first country to establish large settlements in the Americas due to the explorations conducted by Christopher Columbus funded by Spanish Monarchs. They established colonies like Santo Domingo and Havana in the early 16th century.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first country to establish large settlements in the Americas was Spain. Christopher Columbus, under the funding of the Spanish Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, arrived in the New World in 1492. The Spanish were quick to establish colonies and large settlements in this newly discovered land, such as Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, and Havana, the capital of Cuba. These cities were founded in the early 16th century and are considered some of the first large-scale European settlements in the Americas.
Learn more about Spanish Settlements in the Americas