Painting by Diego Rivera

The industrial revolution evolved  through European organization and technology with American resources. The Columbian Exchange created an inextricable economic association between Europe and America that is not well understood or covered in history or economics. For Europe, America was a laboratory for unmonitored capitalistic exploitation, investment, and impetus for unprecedented technological improvement of transportation and production. Even more hidden was the experimentation of business organizations coupled with ideas of liberty to stimulate investment and profit sharing that will ultimately lead to present corporate structures at global levels.

Some of these early companies were associated or supported by the early colonial nations, mainly European , and later independent states in the Americas. The three most powerful European nations were Portugal, Spain, France, and England who all fought over the resources of America for at least 400 years of the Columbian exchange. There were other powers and independent players, but in terms of impact, both economic and cultural, those four nations dominated in their particular American spheres as well as throughout the world through the 19th century. Here is a sample of some of the companies involved with America and are progenitors of today's global corporate networks.

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