History 7A Midterm 1

Virgin Land

The belief of European settlers that North American lands were untouched and unchanging; thus, these occupied lands were seen as free for the taking. This perspective encouraged European settlement in North America who were drawn in by the appeal of free land, while also displacing many Native American groups.

Beaver

Furry animal in the Great Lakes region hunted to near extinction by the French colonists who needed the pelts to trade starting from the 16th century. They were the French colonies’ main export and reason for colonizing North America, as well as encouraging close relations with the nearby Native Americans. Their overhunting also affected the environment as key stone species, causing the decrease in populations of other animals.

Domesticated animals

Starting in the 15th century, European settlers brought over animals they had domesticated (cattle, pigs, horses, etc.) to the New World that they used for farming. The presence of these animals disrupted the environment/infringed on Native land, while also served as a reason to view Native Americans as inferior because they didn’t have many domesticated animals.

Ownership v.s. Sovereignty

Native Americans viewed land as an area that is used/controlled by a specific group community who had the rights to use it, but they did not outright own it. On the other hand, European colonists viewed land as an object that can be traded, and belonged to one person; this difference in land perspectives led to misunderstanding in land sells, and conflict between colonists and Native Americans over land encroachment

Land as a Commodity

Europeans viewed land as a good that can be bought and sold; additionally, land acted as a status symbol, encouraging people to hoard more land. This in turn lead to conflict between Native Americans and white settlers over their differing views on land, and Europeans encroaching on Native land

Freehold Property

The idea that a person fully owns a land, and that the land is their exclusive property to do whatever they want with it. European settlers were drawn to the colonies through this idea because they wanted to own their own lands, and it was much easier to gain land in the colonies than Europe

Subsistence Farming

A form of farming where the farmer only grows enough to feed themselves and their families. The New England colonists practiced this method which led to the use of fewer slaves, and closer knit communities since towns were tightly packed together.

Empire of Goods

The strategy of connecting Britain to their faraway American colonies by encouraging colonists to buy and consume British goods. This led to American colonists participating in British culture and strengthening their connection to their British identity, while also making Britain more money from their colonies

Colonial Cities

5 major colonial cities (Charleston, New York, Boston, Newport, and Philadelphia) that were the largest centers of trade and connections back to Europe. In these cities, ideas from Europe such as the latest fashion or the Enlightenment spread to the colonies and highlighted independent reasoning.

George Whitefield

A famous Great Awakening preacher that toured across North America and drew large crowds with his booming voice between the 1720s and 1740s. He encouraged colonists to discover their own connections with God, and seek their own truths as an individual.

Haudenosaunee

Another term for the League of the Iroquois who controlled vast lands from the Great Lakes Region to the Ohio River Valley at their peak. Originated around the 14th century, they were the most prominent Native American power, and traded and allied with Europeans for goods like weapons, and dominated over other Native American groups.

Santa Fe

A Spanish colony stablished in 1610 as the capital of New Spain/modern-day New Mexico. This colony serves as an example of the expansion of Spanish colonization and missions into North America, as well as their need to extract resources from their colonies

Puritans

Protestants that wanted to purify the residual Catholicism in the Anglican church and rebuild it based on the Bible. Many immigrated to the New England colonies between 1620 - 1640 (specifically Massachusetts Bay Colony) and influenced the way New England colonies were centered around religion and church.

Pequot War

A war between the a certain group of Native Americans and colonists in New England between 1636 - 1637. The war demonstrated the tense relations between colonists and Native Americans due to arguments over trade and land.

Pueblo Revolt

A serious of riots that eventually led to an uprising of allied Native Americans against the Spanish colonists in 1680 where they succeeded in banishing the Spanish out of Santa Fe for 12 years. Demonstrated the Native Americans’ conflict and rising tensions with Spanish colonizers over their missions suppression of culture, and was one of the only major wins of Native Americans against white colonizers

Bacon’s Rebellion

An uprising starting in 1676 in Virginia due to landless indentured servants being promised land, but never receiving any leading to them attacking and encroaching on Native American lands. The rebellion demonstrated to the upper-class that bringing in indentured servants posed a danger as the poor could band together and rebel, thus it encouraged Virginia to turn to slaves for labor

King Philip’s War

In 1675 New England, Metacom the chief of the Wampanoag banded together other Native groups to rise against the English colonists for encroaching on their land. The conflict serves as an example of rising tensions between Native Americans and colonists over land disputes.

Middle Passage

From the 16th to 19th century, this was a transatlantic slave trading route from West Africa to the Americas bringing millions of slaves over the years in boats of dire condition. The route brought over millions of African Americans to the New World where they would be exploited for slave labor; in turn, their presence brought over African culture, foods, and languages.

Chattel Slavery in the Americas

The colonies viewed slaves as property that could be bought or sold which led to the dehumanization of Africans through the law, and perpetuated the status of Africans as inferior to white people.

Transition to Slavery in the Chesapeake

The Chesapeake colonies began with indentured servants for labor, however later shifted to slaves due to factors such as slave codes, Bacon’s Rebellion, and the establishment of the Royal African Company which made it cheaper and more efficient to use slaves for labor instead of indentured servants or Native Americans. This switch to slave labor increased demand for the transatlantic slave trade, thus leading to more Africans being kidnapped or sold off to slavery to fuel the demand.

African Diaspora

A community created from African slaves who were brought to the colonies where they were seen and connected to each other as African. This helped African slaves maintain ties to their culture as they practiced their traditions and languages, eventually spreading it to the future generation to help them connect to their culture.

Crusades

A series of armed pilgrimages from 11th to 13th century with European armies attempting to take back control of Jerusalem in North Africa from Muslim control. Served as the precursor for colonial, especially, Spanish conquest of the Americas using Christianity as a reason to dominate other peoples.

Reconquista

A series of holy wars from 8th to 15th century where Christian Spain and Portugal tried to take back control of the Iberian Peninsula from the Muslims. Their victory served as a precursor for colonial domination under the guise of salvation/belief that Christianity is the dominate religion, and jumpstarted Spanish exploration to spread Christianity.

Limpieza de Sangre

Spanish for “clarity of blood” was a belief in the 15th century Mesoamerica that divided people based on their heritage to determine if they were a good Christian. This division based on blood/heritage showcases how the Spanish viewed non-white people as inherently inferior, thus justifying their mistreatment; notably their Native American labor practices.

Sao Tome and Principe

2 Portuguese island colonies in the Gulf of Guinea established in 1493 that introduced slave labor to the Atlantic to use on sugar plantations. Set the precedent for African slave labor in the colonies.

Adelantados

Starting in the 15th century, these were Spanish or Portuguese explorers who answered to the monarch, and claimed land in the New World and received land under the name of their monarch. This system of conquest was followed by Columbus and encouraged the invasion of the New World.

Tainos

The indigenous peoples of the Caribbean/New Hispanola who were enslaved by the Spanish and taxed. The treatment of them by the Spanish serve as an example of the subjugation of Native Americans by white settlers, and set the precedent for Spanish conquering of Mesoamerica.

The Great Dying

Between the 15th and 17th centuries, millions of Native Americans throughout the Americas died due to European contact (murder, enslavement, disease, etc.). This led to smaller Native American communities, making them easier to subjugate and demonstrates a consequence of European contact

Columbian Exchange

A trade network beginning in 1492 between West Africa, the Americas, and Europe that traded goods, crops, diseases, people, and more. The extensive trade network connected the colonies to their mother countries as well as spreading the traded goods across continents and affecting the peoples and environments involved.

Ayuba Suleiman Diallo

1701 - 1773 The son of a rich merchant slave owner who was kidnapped and enslaved, later escaping slavery and returning to Africa. His enslavement showcases how many slaves were people who were kidnapped and sold suddenly, as well as how despite his wealthy status he was enslaved because he was African

Beringa

A region of land stretching from Siberia to Yukon 15-20k years ago where early indigenous Americans settled after crossing the land bridge. It was the beginning of the history of the Americas because it was the first human settlings on the Americas.

North Atlantic Warming Period

A period of increasing temperatures in the North Atlantic region between 900-1300. This led to an increase in North American and European civilization farming, allowing the growth of new species and growth of civilizations

Medieval American cities

Between the 5th and the 14th century, many large civilizations thrived in the Americas and created large cities, such as Cahokia and the Chaco Canyon. The existence of the cities demonstrates the vast history of the Americas from before contact with the Europeans, and showcases that Native American history is complex and weren’t all hunter-gather groups.

Chaco Canyon

The center of the Anasazi civilization that grew in the 900s in the 4 corners region (middle between New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah). Example of large Native American civilizations before European contact, and showcases the complex history of Native Americans

Cahokia

An large city with a big population that grew suddenly in the 1050s in a large region in near the Mississippi river (Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri). Dominated the region and created large mound monuments. Showcases the complex history of Native Americans and the existence of large cities in the Americas before Europeans

Chunkey

A hoop and ball sport invented around 600 that spread far across North America; also was a popular betting game and resolved diplomatic affairs. Demonstrated the spread/large size of ancient Native American civilizations and their immense influence

Covenant Chain

Treaties between the Iroquois and the British agreeing to trade relations and alliances in the English colonies from the 17th to 18th centuries. Showcases how colonists and Native Americans formed alliances together that were mutually beneficial, and how Native Americans used colonial alliances to get goods to dominate other groups.

Great Lakes Region/Pays d’en Haut

Native Americans’ and French colonists’ lives were greatly intertwined in the Great Lakes region with the French often marrying Native women and forming kinship bonds with them. This led to both parties incorporating various aspects of the others’ culture into theirs and promoting their coexistence.

Balance-of-Power Diplomacy

A strategy used by various Native American groups where they allied with competing European parties to attain the best possible gains from their alliances. This showcases the complex dynamic between Native Americans and colonists, demonstrating that Native Americans relations with colonists included alliances/positive relationships.

American history is much older than Christopher Columbus

-Cahokia (example of large civilization growing in the 1050s that controlled a vast region near the Mississippi river/Illinois, Missouri, and Mississippi)

-Chunkey (Popular hoop and ball game that spread throughout the Americas and was used for betting and diplomacy)

-Chaco Canyon/Anasazi civilization (major city growing in the 900s in the 4 corners/New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah and civilization that housed lots of people)

Significant metropolitan centers both arose and declined in North America long before the arrival of Europeans and Africans

-Cahokia (example of large civilization growing in the 1050s that controlled a vast region near the Mississippi river/Illinois, Missouri, and Mississippi)

-Chunkey (Popular hoop and ball game that spread throughout the Americas and was used for betting and diplomacy)

-Chaco Canyon/Anasazi civilization (major city growing in the 900s in the 4 corners/New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah and civilization that housed lots of people)

As in other parts of the world, climate change was a major driver of demographic and political change in ancient/medieval America

-North Atlantic Warming Period (From 900-1300 a rise in temperature across the North Atlantic region increased the size of civilizations in the Americas by increasing the crop growth)

-Little Ice Age (1300-1800 killed off those large cities leading to decentralized villages and new civilizations created by the dispersed migrants)

European expeditions in the Atlantic Ocean can be understood as crusades

-Crusades (11th to 13th century holy wars to reclaim Jerusalem from the Muslims)

-Reconquista (8th - 15th century Portuguese and Spanish reclaiming control of the Iberian Peninsula from the Muslims. Led to extreme religious zeal and missions, and encouraging Spanish exploration)

-Tainos (Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean/New Hispanola who were enslaved, taxed, and forced to convert to Christianity)

From a European perspective, the encounter with the Americas did not represent a total break from earlier patterns of conquest and exploration, though it did have far-reaching and in many ways unprecedented consequences

-Crusades (11th - 13th century holy wars to reclaim Jerusalem from the Muslims)

-Reconquista (8th to 15th century Portuguese and Spanish reclaiming control of the Iberian Peninsula from the Muslims. Led to extreme religious zeal and missions, and encouraging Spanish exploration)

-Tainos (Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean/New Hispanola who were enslaved, taxed, and forced to convert to Christianity)

The initial arrival of Europeans to the Americas would have transformative long-term effects on life in those continents, but its immediate impact on life in the lands that would become the United States was negligible

-The Great Dying (15th to 17th century millions of Native Americans died due to disease, murder, enslavement, etc. after contract with Europeans)

-Columbian Exchange (Large trade network between West Africa, the Americas, and Europe beginning in 1492 that traded people, goods, metals, disease, crops, etc.)

Some of these ecological changes were indirect consequences of the introduction of new ways of living on and off the land

-Beavers (Furry animals hunted in the Great Lakes region by the French to trade, eventually overhunted to near extinction)

-Domesticated animals (Starting in the 15th century, European settlers brought over animals such as pigs, cattle, horses, etc. to the Americas; grazed on the lands/disrupted the ecosystem)

A foundational difference between colonizing peoples and native peoples lay in competing attitudes toward landed property

-Land as a commodity (Europeans viewed land as something that can be sold and bought, owned by one person exclusively)

-Sovereignty v.s Ownership (Native Americans viewed land as something to be used by the community, can only have the right to use but not actually own)

The enslavement of Africans and their descendants throughout the Americas entailed both labor exploitation and racial subordination

-Ayuba Suleiman Diallo (Son of a rich merchant slaveowner family that was enslaved and eventually escaped and returned to Africa. Example that slavery based on race because kidnapped and sold despite status)

-Slave codes (Limited African slaves’ agency/what they were allowed to do/go, led to discrimination based on if they were black/assumed to be a slave, helped dehumanize Africans)

-Inheritability of slavery (Slavery passed through the mother, all descendants of slaves are slaves so African descendants all seen as slaves)

Only gradually did African slavery become entrenched in the colonies that later became the U.S.

-Slave codes (Legalized slavery and limited slave’s movements, encouraged the spread of slavery)

-Bacon’s Rebellion (V.A. 1675 Indentured servants rebelled, posed threat to rich because poor could band together, so encourage switch to slave labor because indentured servants danger)

-Royal African Company (England chartered their own slave trading company which decreased the price of slaves so it was cheaper to buy slave labor

The enslaved population in colonial North America acquired and fashioned a new diasporic African identity

-Diaspora (Formed African diaspora after brought to colonies and seen only as African. Spread culture and traditions with each other that kept their culture alive)

-Syncretic religion (Blended Christianity with aspects of African religions to make a new blend of the two unique to the African identity)

Throughout the 17th century, European colonial settlements remained minor outposts of the countries that sponsored them and distant developments from the perspective of most of the people who lived on the North American continent

-Low immigration rates for New Mexico and French colonies

-Great Puritan Migration (1620-1640 lots of Puritans come to North America to be free to practice their religion, religious outsiders)

-William Penn/Pennsylvania (1681 Quakers move to practice religious freedom, religious outsiders)

The three largest colonial settlements in 17th century North America shared some key features, while also differing in several important respects

-Resource extraction (Precious metals/Spanish, animal pelts/French)

-Land Settlement (Virgin land, expansion of colonies)

-Crusading (Spanish missions, French Jesuit priests, Puritans, Faith v.s Heathenism)

All three largest colonial settlements in 17th century North America faced existential threats in the 1670s or 1680s

-Pueblo Revolt (1680 New Mexico Spanish kicked out of Santa Fe for 12 years by allied Native Americans)

-King Philips War (1675-1678 New England colonies uprising with many towns burned and colonists killed for encroaching on Native lands)

-Bacon’s Rebellion (1676 VA indentured servants rebel against VA legislation and rich people)

European people in Britain’s mainland American colonies had been drawn to North America by the promise of land ownership and lived in patriarchal farm households

-Virgin land (belief that North American land was untouched and unchanging so any settler could come and claim it)

-Freehold property (Land owned by 1 person who has sole ownership)

-Subsistence farming (Farming enough only to feed and provide for family, men worked out on fields and women worked at home)

They were also settlers on the edge of continent controlled by non-Europeans

-Haudenosaunee (League of the Iroquois, was a dominant political power in North America and controlled lands around the Great Lakes region)

-Balance of powers diplomacy (Native Americans allied with various competing Europeans to get the best deal/alliance for themselves)

They were also participants in an emerging consumer economy

-Empire of goods (Brit set up so colonies want to buy and consume British goods so connected to British identity)

-Participated in latest British fashion, trends, and specialty goods (glass, tea, cotton, etc)

-Cities (Charleston, Newport, N.Y., Philadelphia, and Boston centers of trade/export and connection to Europe)

Although many British colonists imagined Indians as living in the continent’s forested interior, behind an ever-receding frontier, colonists and Native peoples far from the Atlantic Coast saw a very different map

-Haudenosaunee (League of the Iroquois, was a dominant political power in North America and controlled lands around the Great Lakes region)

-Ownership v.s Sovereignty (Native Americans viewed land as something to be used by the community, can only have the right to use but not actually own while Europeans see land as commodity to be traded)

In the Great Lakes region, the lives and identities of French colonists and Indigenous peoples were significantly intertwined

-Intermarried (French traders often only male so married indigenous women)

-Marriage and godparents (Created kinship bonds between indigenous people and white colonists)

-Indigenous clothing (Shaped by European/French goods and styles)

During the first half of the 18th century, competition and conflict among European colonial powers proved central to Native diplomacy and politics in the eastern half of North America

-Balance of powers diplomacy (Native Americans allied with various competing Europeans to get the best deal/alliance for themselves)

-Europeans fighting against each other with various imperial wars (Queen Anne’s War/King William’s War/King George’s war with some battles in American theater so needed Native American allies to help)