Early American History and Colonial Settlement Vocabulary

A set of vocabulary flashcards defining key historical figures, colonies, laws, economic principles, and religious groups in early American history based on the lecture notes.

Plymouth

Colony established by the Pilgrims in 1620.

Squanto

Native American who showed the Plymouth colonists how to plant corn and squash, and helped them develop trade with neighboring Indians.

William Bradford

Leader who became governor of Plymouth in 1621, guiding the Pilgrims through early difficulties with wise and godly leadership.

Massachusetts Bay Company

Colony established by Puritans in 1630.

John Winthrop

First governor of Massachusetts Bay who planned well and brought many supplies from England.

Roger Williams

Religious and political leader who founded Providence, which became the colony of Rhode Island.

Thomas Hooke

Pastor who moved his congregation to Connecticut and founded Hartford, the eventual capital.

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

The first written constitution in America.

Henry Hudson

Explorer who discovered the Hudson River and Hudson Bay in Canada, claimed it for the Netherlands, and sailed up to present-day Albany, NY.

New Netherland

The Dutch region that eventually became the colony of New York.

Mercantilism

An economic system that measured wealth by how much gold and silver a nation possessed.

Quakers

Group also known as the Society of Friends who separated from the Anglican Church, viewed all people as equal, and believed in an "inner light" telling them God's will instead of the Bible.

William Penn

Recipient of a large tract of land called Penn's Sylvania from King Charles II, who founded a colony as a haven of religious freedom for Quakers and other persecuted people.

Cecilius Calvert

Second Lord Baltimore and son of George Calvert who founded a Catholic colony.

Debtors

Individuals owing money who, as an alternative to debtors' prison, could be required to work for those they owe or pay a certain amount or percentage to them.

Act of Toleration

Legislation authored by Catholics in Maryland because they feared persecution by the growing numbers of non-Catholics entering the colony.

Carolina

Tract of land granted to eight English noblemen by King Charles II in 1660, named in honor of the king.

Germans (Pennsylvania Dutch)

Non-English group of people (also called Deutsch) who settled in large numbers in Pennsylvania seeking freedom of religion from persecution.