Key Terms from Chapters 1-3 of American History

Cahokia

A pre-Columbian Native American city located near present-day St. Louis, known for its large earthen mounds.

Christopher Columbus

An Italian explorer who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas.

African Slave Trade

The transatlantic trade of enslaved Africans to the Americas, which was a key part of the triangular trade.

Biological and Cultural Changes

The transformations in ecosystems and societies resulting from the contact between Europeans and Native Americans.

Corn

A staple crop cultivated by Native Americans, which became a significant agricultural product in the Americas.

Conquistadores

Spanish explorers and soldiers who conquered territories in the Americas during the Age of Exploration.

Encomienda

A system that granted Spanish colonists the right to demand labor and tribute from Native Americans in exchange for protection and Christianization.

Henry Hudson

An English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century known for his explorations of present-day Canada and the northeastern United States.

Fur Trade

The industry and trade of animal pelts, particularly in North America, which was a significant economic activity during colonization.

Tenochtitlan

The capital city of the Aztec Empire, located on an island in Lake Texcoco in present-day Mexico City.

Separatists

A group of Puritans who sought to separate from the Church of England and establish their own congregations.

Puritans

A religious group that emerged in the late 16th century, advocating for a simpler form of worship and stricter religious discipline.

Iroquois

A historically powerful northeast Native American confederacy consisting of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and later the Tuscarora nations.

Pueblo Revolt

A 1680 uprising of Pueblo Indians against Spanish colonizers in present-day New Mexico.

Atlantic World

The interconnected web of trade, migration, and cultural exchange between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Samuel De Champlain

A French explorer known as the 'Father of New France' for his role in establishing Quebec and mapping the Great Lakes.

Agricultural Technological Exchange

The transfer of agricultural techniques and crops between Native Americans and European settlers.

Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607 in Virginia.

Anne Hutchinson

A Puritan spiritual advisor whose religious convictions led to her banishment from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Bacon's Rebellion

A 1676 uprising in Virginia led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor William Berkeley's administration.

Congregational Church

A Protestant denomination that emerged from Puritanism, emphasizing the autonomy of local congregations.

Dominion of New England

A short-lived administrative union of English colonies in the New England region in the late 17th century.

Headright System

A land grant policy used in the colonies to encourage settlement by granting land to settlers.

Glorious Revolution

The 1688 overthrow of King James II of England, leading to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.

John Smith

An English soldier and explorer who played a crucial role in the establishment of Jamestown.

John Winthrop

The first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, known for his vision of a 'city upon a hill.'

King Philip's War

A conflict between Native American inhabitants of New England and English colonists from 1675 to 1678.

Massachusetts Bay Company

A joint-stock company that played a significant role in the settlement of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Mayflower Compact

An agreement made by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620 establishing a form of self-government.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that emphasizes the role of the state in managing international trade and accumulating wealth.

Pequot War

A conflict between the Pequot tribe and English settlers in New England from 1636 to 1638.

Quakers

A religious group known for their pacifism and belief in the inner light, founded in the 17th century.

Roger Williams

A Puritan minister who founded the Rhode Island colony based on principles of religious freedom.

William Penn

The founder of Pennsylvania, known for promoting religious tolerance and good relations with Native Americans.

House of Burgesses

The first elected legislative assembly in the New World, established in Virginia in 1619.

Enlightenment Ideals

Philosophical concepts emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of authority that influenced the American Revolution.

Stono Rebellion

A slave uprising in South Carolina in 1739 that was one of the largest in the British colonies.

George Whitefield

An Anglican minister known for his role in the Great Awakening and his powerful preaching.

Johnathan Edwards

A preacher and theologian known for his fire-and-brimstone sermons during the Great Awakening.

John Zenger

A newspaper publisher whose trial for libel in 1735 set a precedent for freedom of the press.

Jeremiad

A type of sermon that laments the moral decline of society and calls for repentance.

Great Awakening

A series of religious revivals in the American colonies during the 18th century emphasizing personal faith.

Covenant

A formal agreement or promise, often used in religious contexts to signify a relationship with God.

Triangular Trade

A historical trade route between Europe, Africa, and the Americas involving the exchange of goods and enslaved people.

Middle Passage

The sea journey undertaken by slave ships from West Africa to the Americas, notorious for its brutal conditions.

Scots-Irish

A group of immigrants from Ireland of Scottish descent who settled in the American colonies.

Slave Codes

Laws that defined the status of enslaved people and the rights of masters, often restricting the freedoms of enslaved individuals.

Cotton Mather

A New England Puritan minister, prolific author, and pamphleteer known for his role in the Salem witch trials.

Old Lights

Traditionalist congregations that resisted the emotionalism of the Great Awakening.

New Lights

Congregations that embraced the revivalist spirit of the Great Awakening.

Salem Witch Trial

A series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts in 1692.