APUSH Vocabulary List Unit 1&2

Maize

Tall crop domesticated by indigenous peoples in the Americas, serving as a staple food source.

Atlantic seaboard

Region along the eastern coast of North America where various Native American tribes and later European colonies were established.

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the Old World following Columbus’s voyages.

Demographic

Statistical characteristics of human populations, such as age, race, and gender, often used to analyze societal changes.

Encomienda system

A Spanish labor system that granted colonists authority over indigenous people in exchange for their Christianization.

God, gold, glory

Motivations for European exploration: spreading Christianity, seeking wealth, and achieving personal/national prestige.

Feudalism

A medieval European social system where land was exchanged for service and protection, influencing early colonial structures.

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership, investment, and the pursuit of profit, which expanded with European colonization.

Caste System

A social hierarchy based on race and ancestry, used by the Spanish in their American colonies.

Great Basin

Arid region in the western U.S. where Native American tribes developed nomadic lifestyles due to scarce resources.

Great Plains

Vast grasslands in central North America where indigenous peoples relied on bison hunting, often adapting to European-introduced horses.

Miss. River Valley

Fertile region along the Mississippi River, home to Native American societies like the mound-building Mississippians.

Colonization

The process of establishing settlements in a foreign territory, often leading to displacement of indigenous peoples.

Rigid racial hierarchy

A social structure that ranked individuals based on race, often justifying enslavement and discrimination.

Indentured servants

Individuals who agreed to work for a set period in exchange for passage to the New World, common in early English colonies.

New England

Region in the northeastern U.S. settled primarily by Puritans seeking religious freedom, characterized by small towns and a mixed economy.

Puritans

English Protestants who sought to purify the Church of England and established strict religious communities in New England.

Mixed economy

An economic system combining agriculture, commerce, and small-scale manufacturing, as seen in New England colonies.

Commerce/commercial

Relating to trade and business activities, crucial for colonial economies dependent on exports and imports.

Chesapeake colonies

Colonial regions of Virginia and Maryland, known for tobacco cultivation, reliance on indentured servants, and later, enslaved labor.

Chattel

A form of property ownership where enslaved individuals were treated as personal property, often passed down through generations.

Southern colonies

Colonies including the Carolinas and Georgia, characterized by plantation economies dependent on enslaved labor and staple crops.

West Indies

Caribbean islands where European powers established sugar plantations, relying heavily on enslaved African labor.

Staple crops

Crops grown primarily for sale rather than consumption, such as tobacco, rice, and sugar, which drove colonial economies.

Pueblo Revolt

A 1680 uprising of Pueblo Indians against Spanish rule in present-day New Mexico, temporarily driving out the Spanish.

Atlantic World

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

Anglicization

The process by which American colonies adopted English customs, institutions, and political ideals.

Protestant evangelism

A movement emphasizing personal conversion and spreading Protestant Christian beliefs, influential in colonial religious life.

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement emphasizing reason, science, and individual rights, influencing colonial political thought.

Mercantilism

Economic theory where colonies existed to benefit the mother country through controlled trade and accumulation of wealth.

Self-government

Political autonomy where colonies developed their own legislative bodies and governance, often clashing with British control.

Great Awakening

A series of religious revivals in the 18th century that emphasized personal faith and emotional worship.

King Philip's War-Metacom's War

A 1675-1676 conflict between New England colonists and Native American groups led by Metacom (King Philip), resulting in widespread destruction and the weakening of indigenous resistance.