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Mercantilism

An economic belief that a country becomes powerful by accumulating gold and silver through controlling trade with colonies.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and people between America and the Old World after Columbus's voyages.

Reconquista

The series of campaigns by Christian kingdoms in Spain to recapture territory from Muslim leaders, influencing their later conquests in America.

Encomienda System

A Spanish system granting settlers land and the right to use native people for labor in exchange for protection and religious instruction.

Northwest Passage

A sought-after water route through North America to Asia that never existed, pursued by explorers to bypass Spanish and Portuguese-controlled routes.

Headright System

A system in English colonies granting 50 acres of land to individuals who paid their own or others' passage to America.

Salutary Neglect

The British policy of not strictly enforcing laws in the American colonies, allowing them more freedom as long as they contributed economically.

Puritans

A group of English Protestants aiming to purify the Church of England from Catholic practices, influential in New England's early development.

Separatists (Pilgrims)

Strict Puritans who believed the Church of England was beyond reform and established the Plymouth Colony in 1620.

Mayflower Compact

An early governing agreement made by the Separatist Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, establishing self-governance in their new colony.

Triangular Trade

A trade route connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas involving the exchange of goods, enslaved people, and raw materials.

Middle Passage

The brutal journey across the Atlantic Ocean taken by enslaved Africans, known for its horrific conditions and high mortality rates.

Great Awakening

A significant religious revival in the American colonies during the 1730s and 1740s emphasizing personal faith and diverse denominations.

The Enlightenment

An intellectual movement in the 1700s advocating reason, science, and individual rights, influencing ideas about government and freedom.

Colonization

The process of a country taking control of foreign lands and people, often leading to the suppression of native cultures.

Granada

The last Muslim kingdom in Spain, whose capture in 1492 marked the end of the Reconquista and helped unify Spain for exploration.

Gutenberg Printing Press

An invention in the mid-1400s that facilitated fast book printing, spreading information and inspiring exploration.

John Calvin

A key figure in the Protestant Reformation whose teachings influenced Puritan beliefs, particularly the concept of predestination.

Henry VIII

The King of England who created the Church of England in 1534, leading to religious reformations and migrations to America.

Elmina Castle

A Portuguese trading post in Ghana established in the 1480s, pivotal in the transatlantic slave trade.