Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

The correct answer is Native Americans because they are the indigenous peoples who inhabited the continent long before the arrival of Europeans in the late 15th century. They developed diverse cultures, languages, and societies across North America, each with their own unique traditions and histories that predate European colonization by thousands of years.

Colonists refers specifically to the people who left Europe to establish settlements in the Americas, and European settlers arrived after Native Americans had already been living there for generations. African slaves were forcibly brought to America much later, and while they played a significant role in American history, particularly in the context of labor and culture, they were not the original inhabitants of the land. Thus, Native Americans hold the distinction of being the first peoples of America, making them the accurate choice in this context.