First contact refers to the initial encounter between indigenous peoples living in a particular region and European colonizers who arrived there for exploration or settlement purposes.
Related terms
Columbian Exchange: The widespread transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and cultural practices between the Old World (Europe) and the New World (Americas) following Christopher Columbus' first voyage in 1492.
Cultural exchange: The process by which different cultures share ideas, beliefs, customs, or practices through direct interaction or indirect influence.
Treaty-making: Negotiations between indigenous peoples and colonial powers to establish agreements on land rights, trade relationships, or political alliances.