So many accounts of this continents’ past begin with Europeans striding ashore

So many accounts of this continents’ past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for its respective empires.

1. continents’ past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for its respective empires
2. continent’s past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for their respective empires
3. continents’ past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for their respective empires
4. continent’s past begins with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for its respective empires
5. continent’s past begins with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for their respective empires

Answer

Because "continent" is preceded by the singular "this" instead of the plural "these", there is just one continent and Choices A and C are wrong.

Another discrepancy is whether the verb should be the plural "begin" or the singular "begins". The subject is plural - accounts - so the answer needs to contain the plural form begin to agree with the subject. Choices D and E are wrong.

Another issue is whether the last pronoun should be the plural "their" or the singular "its". The respective empires belong to the Europeans, which is plural, so "their" is proper.

The correct option is B.