In 1497, John Cabot (an Italian), who sailed for the English, was the first under the British throne to cross the Atlantic. In 1609, Henry Hudson, who sailed for the British and the Dutch, discovered what is now the Hudson River.
One of the main ways in which the population of Western Europe changed after the collapse of the Roman Empire is that it became more diverse, since the official borders of the Empire were no more. There was also increased lawlessness. <span />
<span>The US did more business with the Allies than with Germany because they were closer to the Allies in politics and in language.
America and Great Britain spoke English and had similar laws. They also had similar ancestry and Americans sympathized more with Britain and France.
Germany was also blocked off by a British blockade so trading with them would have been useless. Nothing would get through.</span>