▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁such ▁as ▁Cuba ▁and ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁which ▁were ▁linked ▁to ▁Spain ▁until ▁ 1 8 9 8 . ▁Sm aller ▁territ ories ▁such ▁as ▁Guy ana ▁obtained ▁independence ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 2 0 th ▁century , ▁while ▁certain ▁Car ib bean ▁islands ▁and ▁French ▁Gu iana ▁remain ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁European ▁power ▁to ▁this ▁day . ▁ ▁Pre - colon ization ▁ ▁M igration ▁into ▁the ▁contin ents ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁specific s ▁of ▁Pale o - Ind ian ▁migration ▁to ▁and ▁throughout ▁the ▁Amer icas , ▁including ▁the ▁exact ▁dates ▁and ▁routes ▁tra ve led , ▁are ▁subject ▁to ▁on going ▁research ▁and ▁discussion . ▁The ▁traditional ▁theory ▁has ▁been ▁that ▁these ▁early ▁migr ants ▁moved ▁into ▁the ▁Ber ing ia ▁land ▁bridge ▁between ▁eastern ▁Si ber ia ▁and ▁present - day ▁Al aska ▁around ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁– ▁ 1 7 , 0 0 0 ▁years ▁ago , ▁when ▁sea ▁levels ▁were ▁significantly ▁lower ed ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁Qu atern ary ▁gla ci ation . ▁These ▁people ▁are ▁believed ▁to ▁have ▁followed ▁her ds ▁of ▁now - ext inct ▁Ple ist oc ene ▁meg af a una ▁along ▁ice - free ▁cor rid ors ▁that ▁stretch ed ▁between ▁the ▁Laurent ide ▁and ▁Cord iller an ▁ice ▁sheets . ▁Another ▁route ▁proposed ▁is ▁that , ▁either ▁on ▁foot ▁or ▁using ▁primitive ▁boats , ▁they ▁migr ated ▁down ▁the ▁Pacific ▁North west ▁coast ▁to ▁South ▁America . ▁Ev idence ▁of ▁the ▁latter