Studied by 30 people
Native American societies
diverse cultures, economies, and social structures
Columbian Exchange
exchange of goods, ideas, and diseases between the Old World (Europe) and the New World (the Americas)
European exploration
motivations, such as seeking wealth, spreading Christianity, and finding new trade routes to Asia
Spanish colonization
establishment of colonies in present-day Mexico, Florida, and the American southwest; impact on Native American populations
Portuguese exploration
exploration of the coast of Africa and the establishment of trading posts
Early English Colonization
establishment of Roanoke and Jamestown; interactions with Native Americans; economic motivations (e.g., the search for gold and other resources)
French colonization
establishment of fur trade networks and settlements in Canada and the Mississippi River Valley; interactions with Native American tribes
Christopher Columbus
Italian explorer commissioned by Spain to find a westward route to Asia. He instead stumbled upon the Americas in 1492, leading to European exploration and colonization of the New World.
Hernán Cortés
Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico in the early 16th century, leading to Spanish colonization of the region
Francisco Pizarro
Spanish conquistador who conquered the Inca Empire in present-day Peru in the early 16th century, expanding Spanish influence in South America
Treaty of Tordesillas
Agreement between Spain and Portugal in 1494 that divided newly discovered lands outside Europe between them along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands, it decided how Christopher Columbus’s discoveries of the New World would be divided. It established the zone of Portuguese influence in what would become Brazil.
Encomienda System
A system established by the Spanish crown in the early colonial period that granted conquistadors the right to demand labor or tribute from Native Americans in exchange for "protection" and Christianization
Bartolomé de Las Casas
Spanish priest and advocate for Native American rights who wrote extensively about the mistreatment of indigenous peoples by Spanish colonizers
Roanoke Colony
Also known as the "Lost Colony," it was an English settlement established in present-day North Carolina in the late 16th century. It mysteriously disappeared, and its fate remains unknown
Jamestown
The first successful English settlement in North America, established in present-day Virginia in 1607. It faced numerous challenges, including disease, starvation, and conflict with Native Americans
John Smith
English explorer and leader of the Jamestown colony who implemented strict discipline and negotiated with Native American tribes to ensure the survival of the settlement
Powhatan Confederacy
Native American confederation in Virginia led by Chief Powhatan, which interacted with the Jamestown colonists and initially provided them with food and resources
Pocahontas
Daughter of Chief Powhatan who famously intervened to save John Smith's life. Her marriage to English colonist John Rolfe symbolized early attempts at peace between Native Americans and Europeans
Joint-Stock Companies
Early form of corporation in which investors pooled their capital to fund overseas ventures, such as English colonization efforts in North America
Virginia Company
A joint-stock company chartered by King James I to establish settlements in the New World, particularly in Virginia
Mercantilism
Economic system in which nations seek to increase their wealth and power by obtaining large amounts of gold and silver and by establishing a favorable balance of trade, usually through colonies and protectionist policies
Coureurs des bois
French fur traders and adventurers who explored and traded in the interior of North America during the colonial period
Interactions between European settlers and Native American societies (exploration, trade and alliance, conflict)
Exploration: European explorers encountered diverse Native American societies with complex cultures, economies, and social structures.
Trade and Alliance: Initially, Europeans and Native Americans engaged in trade and formed alliances, exchanging goods, knowledge, and sometimes intermarrying.
Conflict: As European colonization expanded, conflicts arose over land, resources, and competing worldviews, leading to violence and displacement of Native American populations.
Impact of European diseases on Native American populations (exchange of goods, agricultural revolution, disease)
Exchange of Goods: The Columbian Exchange facilitated the transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old World (Europe, Africa, and Asia) and the New World (the Americas), transforming ecosystems on both continents.
Agricultural revolution: introduction of new crops such as maize, potatoes, and tomatoes revolutionized agricultural practices and diets, contributing to population growth.
Disease: European diseases, such as smallpox and measles, devastated NA populations, leading to demographic collapse and societal upheaval.
Economic motives for exploration and colonization (economic, religious, and competition)
Economic: Europeans sought wealth through trade, particularly in spices, precious metals, and luxury goods from Asia.
Religious: Religious motivations, including spreading Christianity and combating Islam, drove some European explorers and missionaries.
Competition: European nations competed for power, prestige, and territorial expansion, leading to rivalries and conflicts over overseas colonies and trade routes
Development of colonial economies (Spanish colonization, Portuguese Exploration, English and French Colonization)
Spanish colonization: Spanish conquistadors established colonies in present-day Mexico, Florida, and the American Southwest, exploiting Native American labor and resources.
Portuguese Exploration: Portuguese explorers established trading posts and colonies along the coast of Africa and in Brazil, focusing on the lucrative slave trade.
English and French Colonization: English settlers established early colonies the Roanoke and Jamestown in search of wealth and religious freedom, while French traders established fur trade networks and settlements in Canada and the Mississippi River Valley.
Cultural exchanges and conflicts between European settlers and Native Americans
Cultural Exchange: European colonization brought new technologies, crops, and ideas to the Americas, while Native American cultures influenced European cuisine, medicine, and survival techniques. .
Conflicts: Cultural misunderstandings, territorial disputes, and competition for resources fueled conflicts between European settlers and Native American tribes, leading to warfare and displacement.
Three Sisters
Three staple crops (corn, beans, and squash) favored by many native tribes in North America. Their collective name references their interdependence: the cornstalks provided a structure for the beans to grow up, and the squash held moisture in the soil for all three.
Great League of Peace (Haudenosaunee)
A political confederation of five (later six) Iroquois tribes, which sought to coordinate collective action. Each tribe maintained its own political system and religious beliefs. Believed to have formed around 1450.
Amerigo Vespucci
Italian explorer and cartographer. His 1499–1502 trip along the South American coast determined that the New World was a distinct continent from Asia
Columbian Exchange
The transmission and interchange of plants, animals, diseases, cultures, human populations (including slaves), and technologies between the New World and the Old World. Greatly benefited Europe and Asia while simultaneously bringing catastrophe to American Indian populations and cultures
Jacques Cartier
French explorer. Cultivated a fur trade with American Indians. Dubbed the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and its surroundings as “the Country of Canadas,” a term derived from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word for village/settlement.
Samuel de Champlain
French explorer. Known as the “The Father of New France.” Founded Quebec in 1608. Made the first accurate maps of what is modern-day Eastern Canada
Spanish Requirement of 1513
Spain asserted its divine right to conquer the New World, stating that its main concern was to rescue the natives from hedonism
Vasca Nunez de Balboa
Spanish explorer and conquistador. In 1513, he led the first overland expedition by Europeans to reach the Pacific, specifically crossing the Isthmus of Panama
Juan Ponce de Leon
Spanish explorer and conquistador. Led the first European expedition to Florida in 1513, an area which he named. Commonly said to have been hunting for the Fountain of Youth, although that motivation is considered a myth.
Ferdinand Magellan
Portuguese explorer. From 1519 to 1522, he led a Spanish expedition that was the first to circumnavigate the Earth. Magellan died in battle in the Philippines in 1521, and command was transferred to Juan Sebastián Elcano
Conquistadores
Generalized term for soldiers and explorers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires. Colonized what became Latin America in the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries.
Sir Walter Raleigh
English polymath. One of the most important figures of the Elizabeathan era. Granted permission by Queen Elizabeth I to explore and colonize the New World in exchange for one-fifth of all the gold and silver this venture obtained. Founded Roanoke.
Roanoke
Nicknamed “the Lost Colony.” First attempted English colony in the New World. Founded in 1585 by Sir Walter Raleigh on an island off the modern-day North Carolina coast. By 1590, its inhabitants had vanished for reasons that still remain unknown.
Virginia Company
The collective name for two joint stock companies (one of London, the other of Plymouth) that had identical charters but different (if overlapping) territorial claims. Chartered in 1606 by King James I in order to settle the North American eastern coastline.
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