APUSH Transplantations and Borderlands

London Company

An English trading company established in 1606 that played a key role in the colonization of Virginia; was given charter rights from Raleigh; aimed to find gold and establish trade routes in the New World

Powhatan Confederacy

a coalition of Native tribes (Algonquins, Iroquois, Sioux) located in Coastal Virginia who were more powerful than the English settlers at Jamestown for years

Captain John Smith

the captain of Jamestown who imposed work and order in the settlement, keeping his colonists alive; built a rocky relationship with the Natives (sometimes negotiating for food and sometimes stealing it)

the Starving Time

a difficult winter during 1609-1610 when Jamestown settlers faced extreme food shortages, leading to severe malnutrition and death among the colonists

John Rolfe

an early settler of Jamestown who is credited with the successful cultivation of tobacco as a cash crop, which greatly improved the colony's economy and helped ensure its survival; encouraged them to move deeper inland into native farmland

De La Warr

was the first governor of the Virginia Colony, known for implementing strict discipline and organizing the colony's initial efforts at expansion and conflict with Native Americans.

Governor Dale

Governor of Jamestown who began to permit private ownership and cultivation of land in order to incentivize work; settlers would repay the compony with part time work and contributions to the storehouses; led unrelenting assaults against Native people and kidnapped Pocahontas

tobacco

a cash crop that became vital to the economy of the Virginia Colony, significantly influencing its development and expansion; Columbus had seen locals in Cuba smoking it; was already prominent in Europe; John Rolfe cultivated it

Headright System

land grant program that encouraged settlement in the Virginia Colony by giving colonists land for each person they brought over.

House of Burgesses

the first legislative assembly in the American colonies, established in Virginia in 1619, allowing settlers to elect representatives to make laws and decisions

Powhatan

A Native American leader and chief of the Powhatan Confederacy, who played a significant role in early colonial interactions in Virginia, particularly with the English settlers at Jamestown; daughter (Pocahontas) was kidnapped by Sir Thomas Dale

Opechancanough

Powhatan’s brother who became head of the confederacy; led several successful uprisings against English settlers in the early 17th century, most notably the 1622 attack; eventually ceased to challenge eastern regions of the colony

George Calvert

The first Lord Baltimore and founder of the Maryland colony; sought to establish a refuge for Catholics and promote religious tolerance

Cecilius Calvert

The second Lord Baltimore who recieved a remarkable charter to have nearly full control of the large domain of Maryland, founding a colony in his father’s image

Leonard Calvert

The first governor of the Maryland colony, appointed by his brother Cecilius Calvert; played a crucial role in implementing the vision of a refuge for Catholics and establishing relations with Native Americans

Toleration Act

A significant law passed in Maryland in 1649 that mandated religious tolerance for all Christians, ensuring freedom of worship and protection for Catholics in the colony.

Sir William Berkeley

The governor of Virginia from 1642 to 1652 and again from 1660 to 1677, known for his promotion of trade, his efforts to control and limit colonial expansion, and his contentious relationship with the colonists, particularly during Bacon's Rebellion

Bacon’s Rebellion

A revolt in 1676 led by Nathaniel Bacon against Virginia Governor Sir William Berkeley's administration, driven by frustration over policies regarding Native American territory and lack of support for frontier settlements.

backcountry

The rural area located along the Appalachian Mountains, characterized by a diverse population of small farmers and frontiersmen, often involved in conflicts with Native Americans and colonial authorities.

Nathaniel Bacon

an aristocratic man who arrived in Virginia, won a seat on the governor’s council, and established himself as a member of the backcountry gentry; had vendettas against Berkeley; warred with Native tribes and began a powerful insurrection

Scrooby group

A group of Separatists who fled England to escape religious persecution, ultimately founding the Plymouth Colony in 1620

Mayflower

The ship that carried the Pilgrims from England to America in 1620, transporting those seeking religious freedom to establish the Plymouth Colony

Mayflower Compact

An agreement made by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620, establishing a self-governing colony based on majority rule

William Bradford

A key leader of the Pilgrims and the governor of Plymouth Colony; persuaded the Council of New England to give them legal permission to settle in America; ended Standish’s communal labor plan and distributed land among the families; paid off the colony’s debt

Squanto and Samoset

Two Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims by teaching them vital agricultural techniques and acting as interpreters, facilitating communication between the settlers and various Indigenous tribes

Miles Standish

A military officer and leader of the Pilgrims; imposed a semi-military regime to impose discipline on the settlers

Wampanoag

A Native American tribe that established a significant relationship with the Pilgrims, helping them survive their initial years in Plymouth Colony through trade and assistance

Abenaki

A Native American tribe in Maine who were in a small fur trade with the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony

John Winthrop

A prominent figure in the early Massachusetts Bay Colony, he served as its first governor and envisioned the colony as a "city upon a hill" exemplifying Puritan ideals

Congregational Church

A type of parish organization that developed in the Massachusetts Bay Colony as well as in the Plymouth Colony in which each church congregation chose its own minister and regulated its own affairs

John Cotton

A prominent minister in the Massachusetts Bay Colony; known for his strong Puritan beliefs and influence on the Congregational Church

theocracy

the type of government that the Massachusetts Bay Colony became, taxing all colonists to support the Church and mandating attendance at Puritan church services

Connecticut Valley

A region in New England 100 miles outside of the edge of Boston, primarily settled by English Puritans in the 1630s, known for its fertile land and diverse communities; notably Thomas Hooker

Thomas Hooker

A minister of Newton (Cambridge) who defied the Massachusetts government in 1635 and led his congregation to establish the town of Hartford in Connecticut Valley; adopted a constitution known as the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

the first written constitution that created a government based on the principle of majority rule in the Connecticut Valley; established a representative government with an assembly and a governor

New Haven

a colony in Connecticut established by a Puritan minister and a wealthy merchant from England; reflected impatience with increasing religious laxity in Massachusetts, setting up an even stricter religious government in the Fundamental Articles of New Haven; remained independent until a royal charter combined it with Hartford to create the colony of Connecticut

Roger Williams

a Puritan Separatist minister who founded Providence Plantation (Rhode Island) in 1636 after being expelled from Massachusetts for advocating religious freedom and separation of church and state and the complete separation from the Anglican Church; established a government based on individual liberty and was a proponent of fair dealings with Native Americans

Narragansett

a Native American tribe that was located in present-day Rhode Island and sheltered Roger Williams, then selling a tract of land to him that would become Providence

Anne Hutchinson

a Puritan spiritual leader in colonial Massachusetts who challenged the male-dominated religious authorities, advocating for women's roles in church and her interpretation of the Bible, leading to her trial and eventual banishment to Rhode Island

Captain John Mason and Sir Fernando Georges

two individuals who received a grant from the Council for New England, dividing it along the Piscataqua River to establish two different provinces (New Hampshire and Maine); population skyrocketed as a result of religious disruptions in Massachusetts Bay (largely by the followers of Anne Hutchinson)

John Wheelwright

a disciple of Anne Hutchinson who led fellow dissenters to Exeter, New Hampshire, which became a separate colony from Massachusetts in 1679

“praying Indians”

a term for Native Americans who converted to Christianity and joined Puritan communities as a means of assimilation, often participating in colonial society while retaining some cultural practices

John Eliot

a Puritan missionary who translated the Bible into an Algonquian language on an attempt to convert Native Americans to Christianity

Pequot War

a war between an alliance of English settlers in the Pequot Valley and the Mohegan and Narragansett Natives versus the Pequots; white raiders under John Mason set a Pequot stronghold on fire; the Pequot tribe was nearly wiped out

King Philip’s War

the most prolonged and deadly encounter between natives and colonists in the 17th century; it involved conflict between the English settlers and various Native American tribes (particularly the Wampanoags) led by Metacomet (King Philip), resulting in significant casualties on both sides and the near destruction of several native tribes

flintlock rifle

a lightweight firearm that was purchased by natives and used during the colonial wars

Narragansetts

allies of the Wampanoags in King Phillip’s War who built an enormous fort in the Great Swamp of Rhode Island in 1675, becoming the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the war; then went on to create a stone fort, which was raided by English settlers

James I

king of England who persecuted Puritans and attracted widespread opposition, but did not openly challenge Parliament

Charles I

king of England who dissolved Parliament in 1629 and began ruling as an absolute monarch and began alienating many subjects (including Puritans); triggered the English Civil War

Cavaliers

supporters of the King in the English Civil War

Roundheads

primarily Puritan forces of Parliament in the English Civil War, led by Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell

the leader of the Roundheads in the English Civil War who was chosen to have the throne following Charles I’s beheading

Charles II

ascended the throne after Oliver Cromwell’s death; supported religious toleration, angering Protestants as it let Catholics back into England, became Catholic on his deathbed at the request of Louis XIV; issued charters for four additional colonies in the New World

James II

ascended the throne after his brother Charles II, and ruled during a time of increasing tensions with Parliament, leading to his eventual overthrow in the Glorious Revolution

Stuart Restoration

the period that marked the return of the Stuart monarchy to England, beginning with Charles II's ascension to the throne in 1660 after the English Civil War; the proprietary ventures (similar to Maryland instead of Virginia/Massachusetts) of Carolina, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were created at this time (private companies no longer wanted to pursue ventures in the New World due to the lack of quick profit opportunity)

Carolina

a colony awarded to 8 of Charles II’s court favorites who used a headright system and collected quitrents from settlers; promised religious freedom to all Christian settlers; established a representative assembly to make laws; eventually split by the king following Lord Shaftesbury’s death due to disunity into royal colonies of North and South

quitrents

annual payments from settlers to proprietors

Anthony Ashley Cooper (Earl of Shaftesbury)

one of the founders of Carolina who persisted after initial failures to attract settlers; convinced the others to finance migrations from England; drafted the Fundamental Constitution for Carolina

Fundamental Constitution for Carolina

constitution created by the Earl of Shaftesbury (Anthony Ashley Cooper) and John Locke; established an elaborate system of land distribution and social order

Charles Town

a city in southern Carolina which promoted a prosperous economy and an aristocratic society, promoted the trade of corn, lumber, cattle, pork, and rice; some marketed furs/hides and native slaves

Barbados

an English colony with which Carolina established close trading ties; white migrants from here to Carolina established a slave-based plantation society

Richard Nicolls

English colonial governor of New York who extracted a surrender from the unpopular Dutch governor of New Amsterdam (Peter Stuyvesan, renamed it New York, and implemented important administrative reforms

Articles of Capitulation

the agreement that permitted the Dutch to surrender New Amsterdam to the English without resistance, ensuring the protection of property and religious rights for the inhabitants

patroons

Dutch large landowners in New York

Sir John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret

two Carolina proprietors who were granted land by James, duke of York, and established the colony of New Jersey

Society of Friends (Quakers)

A religious group known for their principles of gender equality, pacifism, and their commitment to non-violence; played a significant role in the early settlement of Pennsylvania

George Fox and Margaret Fell

the two founders of the Quaker movement in the mid-17th century; emphasized direct experiences of God and opposed formal religious practices.

William Penn

A Quaker leader and founder of Pennsylvania; advocated for religious freedom and good relations with Native Americans; established one of the earliest examples of a colonial democracy; was unable to earn profit from the colony and died in debt

Pennsylvania

an English colony known for its rich natural resources and early cosmopolitanism; attracted settlers from across Europe; helped set an angular street pattern for most later cities

Charter of Liberties

a 1701 document that established a representative government in Pennsylvania and guaranteed various individual rights, including religious freedom and protection against arbitrary government

Barbados

An English colony in the Caribbean known for its sugar plantations and significant role in the transatlantic slave trade, influencing colonial economies and practices

Mexico City

The capital of the Spanish American empire; Spanish residents were more prosperous than all but a few English settlers

New Mexico

a Spanish settlement that sought to work with Native Americans after the Pueblo Revolt; the most populous settlement north of Mexico and west of the Mississippi

California

a region that the Spanish began to colonize to prevent other Europeans from doing so; decimated the Native population; Spanish insisted natives convert to Catholicism, explaining the centrality of missions; forced natives into agricultural labor

Louisiana

a French settlement at the mouth of the Mississippi River; threatened the Spanish, who were fearful of French incursions farther west; attracted nomadic native tribes

Texas

a Spanish land claim which they further fortified following the French settlement of Louisiana, establishing new forts, missions, and settlements

Arizona

a region that was part of the Spanish territory, eventually becoming a site of conflict between Native American tribes and European settlers; Northern portion was controlled from Santa Fe, Southern was controlled by the Mexican region of Sonora

Florida

an originally Spanish settlement that was threatened by a growing English presence in the Americas; was a site of Spanish/English conflict; eventually claimed by the English in the aftermath of the Seven Years’ War

General James Oglethorpe

a member of British parliament and military hero who led the group of unpaid trustees who founded Georgia

Georgia

an English colony founded by James Oglethorpe and his group of unpaid trustees; founded as a barrier against Spanish Florida; a safe haven for debtors and the poor; ended up also attracting religious refugees from Switzerland and Germany, including a small group of Jewish people; had strict military regulations, including the prohibition of importing slaves, stifling its prosperity

War of Spanish Succession/Queen Anne’s War

a conflict between European powers over succession to the Spanish throne; involved France and Spain against England and its allies, affecting colonial territories in the Americas

middle grounds

areas where diverse groups, including Native Americans and European settlers, negotiated coexistence and cultural exchange

Navigation Acts

laws designed to regulate colonial trade; required that certain goods produced in the colonies be shipped only to England or English territories; goods must pass through England to be taxed; aligned with mercantilism

Dominion of New England

created by James II; combined the government of Massachusetts with those of the rest of the New England colonies; eliminated existing assemblies; appointed Sir Edmund Andros as governor to supervise the whole region from Boston

Sir Edmund Andros

Royal governor of the Dominion of New England, appointed by James II, who enforced unpopular policies and was eventually ousted during the Glorious Revolution

Glorious Revolution

A coup in 1688 that overthrew Catholic King James II of England and established the Protestant William and Mary as monarchs, leading to the restoration of parliamentary power

Captain Francis Nicholson

a lieutenant governor through whom Sir Edmund Andros governed New York; supported by wealthy merchants and fur traders; opposed by the commonfolk of the province

Jacob Leisler

a German-born American who led a rebellion against the rule of Lieutenant Governor Francis Nicholson in New York after the Glorious Revolution, eventually declaring himself governor until his execution for treason

John Coode

a leader of the rebellion against the Proprietors of Maryland; an old opponent of Lord Baltimore’s government, he led a charge to drive out Catholic authority in the name of defending Protestantism as Maryland colonists had assumed that Catholic Lord Baltimore opposed Protestant William and Mary