US History AP - Unit 1 Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering early civilizations in the Americas, Spanish history, and European motivations for exploration.

Moorish invasion of Spain

An invasion occurring in 711 a.d. that prompted Spanish Christians to fight back.

Reconquista

An uninterrupted war from 700-1400's in which Christians fought back against the Moors.

Conquistadors

Spanish Nobles who were soldiers trained to fight against Moors.

Clovis People

Established one of the first civilizations in America around 13,000 years ago, coming across the Bering straight land bridge, and were the first to make tools & eat animals.

Archaic Period

A period from 8,000 b.c. - 3,000 b.c. characterized by hunting and gathering and stone tools.

Mayans

Civilization in Central America and Yucatan Peninsula (valley of Mexico) with a written language, numerical system, agriculture, and a tribute system of human sacrifice where god's are satisfied through living human hearts.

Teotihuacan

Major Mayan city located in present day Mexico city with a population as high as 100,000.

Black Death

Plague that killed 1/3 of the European population, contributing to reasons why Europeans looked west.

Silk Road

Land trade route associated with Marco Polo used for trade with Asia, described as long, tedious, and dangerous.

Centralization of nation states

One of the structural changes in Europe that led nation-states to look west for safer and faster trade routes to Asia.