Let's think back to the idea of re-contextualization. We should expect to find a mash-up of pre-existing events, people, and ideas as we read. We will see themes being pulled from the Bible, removing their original context, and then being inserted into this new narrative. This is evident as the entire first chapter sets the stage for the rest of the Book of Mormon. Before Joseph Smith can establish a Native American scripture, he first needs to give an explanation as to how a tribe of Israel ended up in the Americas in the first place. Think of it as his method of worldbuilding.
Joseph Smith gives the narrative voice of the story to Nephi, who represents himself as a sort of parallel to Christopher Columbus. This voice will eventually become more clear. However, as Nephi begins to describe the visions of his father, we might not immediately see the American influence.
He begins by placing us in Jerusalem where we are presented with a condensed representation of events in the Old and New Testaments through the experiences of Lehi. Smith jumps around a lot in this first page, which I think is important to see. The story of Lehi itself is very linear but its inspiration seems to have been pulled from all over the Bible in rapid succession, with a primary focus on Jeremiah.
The Book of Mormon, pg 5
~~~~~The Book of Mormon~~~~~~
"For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father Lehi having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days;) and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people, that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed." (pg 5)
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We are immediately presented with a direct reference to the Book of Jeremiah, where Jeremiah himself is one of the prophets who prophesied of Jerusalem's destruction.
~~~~~Old Testament ~~~~~~
3 Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:
4 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.
5 And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.
6 And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence. (Jeremiah 21:3-6)
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Then we see in the very next paragraph, that Smith makes another reference to Jeremiah as Lehi expresses deep concern over the fate of Jerusalem.