APush Study Notes: Exploration and Early Colonization

Flashcards covering key topics from exploration and early colonization based on the provided notes.

What did Columbus initially believe he had reached on his first voyage?

Asia (India).

What labor system granted Spanish settlers the right to extract labor from Native Americans?

Encomienda system.

Name the three major pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas.

Maya, Aztec, and Inca.

Where were the Aztec civilization located?

Central Mexico.

Which conquistador landed in Mexico and sought gold?

Hernán Cortés.

What were the 'three G's' commonly cited as motives for Spanish exploration?

God, Gold, and Glory.

Which explorer led the expedition into the American Southwest searching for the Seven Cities of Gold?

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado.

Which explorer is associated with the search for the Fountain of Youth?

Juan Ponce de León.

What percentage of Native Americans died following European contact, contributing to the decline of indigenous populations?

About 90%.

What term describes the critical portrayal of Spanish colonization in the Americas?

The Black Legend (La Leyenda Negra).

What financial structure funded early English colonization efforts?

Joint-stock company.

Which colony's name honors the Virgin Queen?

Virginia, named after Queen Elizabeth I.

Why did many younger English sons venture to the colonies?

Primogeniture left them without inherited estates; they sought new opportunities.

What is the agricultural method of planting corn, beans, and squash together called?

The Three Sisters.

What were early Jamestown's main challenges?

Harsh environment, disease, famine, and poor leadership.

What is the Columbian Exchange?

The transfer of crops, animals, and diseases between the Old World and the New World after European contact.