Hernan Cortes
Spanish conquistador who learned the language of Aztecs from Malinche: greedy for gold, he conquered Aztecs in Tenochtitlan after their noche triste, bringing forward mestizos and new culture.
Francisco Coronado
Explorer who discovered Grand Canyon and Colorado River while trying to find golden cities but finds adobe pueblos instead and dies while searching. He wanders all the way to Kansas.
Bartolome De Las Casas
Spanish missionary who spoke out against mistreatment of Natives by Spain, specifically in encomienda system (believed it to be slavery)
Juan Gines de Sepulveda
Publicly disagreed with Bartolome De Las Casas's views on Native slavery, belittling the Natives as lowly savages who should serve the Spanish Conquistadores as slaves.
Francisco Pizzarro
Spanish explorer who conquered Incas in Peru and gave Spain more wealth, founding city of Lima.
Ferdinand and Isabella
After their marriage and union, they unified Spain under 2 powerful monarchs, strengthening them for their future expansion desires and funded Columbus' trip to New World.
Christopher Columbus
Italian explorer for Spain looking for cheaper route to the Indies; lands in Bahamas believing he succeeded, but actually "discovers" New World Americas for Old World, catalyzing Columbian Exchange.
Moctezuma
Aztec Chieftain that provided hospitality to Hernan Cortes and crew thinking that he was the god Quetzalcotal: soon grows weary of their greed and leads noche triste, driving Spanish out.
Sir Francis Drake
English pirate backed by Queen Elizabeth I who, during the Spanish vs. English religious conflict, raided many Spanish settlements/ships for treasure and grew insanely rich from it.
Elizabeth I
Powerful English Queen who united England and established Protestantism as dominant religion rather than Catholicism like Spain: brutally defeated Ireland after their partnering with Spain to overthrow English rule.
Henry VIII
King of England who caused Protestant Reformation by splitting from the Roman Catholic Church because he couldn't annul marriage with his wife.
Sir Walter Raleigh
English half Brother of Sir Humphrey Gilbert who tried to start settlement in Roanoke after landing there, but after having to go back to England for 3 years (war with Spain), he comes back to settlement mysteriously gone.
Captain John Smith
Leader of English colonials who organized/saved Jamestown by imposing harsh work ethic: "He who shall not work shall not eat." Kidnapped and almost killed by Natives but is saved by Pochahontas, forming fragile peace.
John Rolfe
Husband of Pochahontas and economic savior as father of tobacco industry: he dies during series of Indian attacks, sparking 2nd Anglo Powhatan War.
Lord De La Warr
After John Smith leaves from injury, Jamestown colonists nearly give up from starvation and set sail home, but this man stops them and enforces strict military regime used on them and Powhatan Natives in war.
Powhatan
Powerful Chieftain and father of Pochahontas who is leader of Powhatan's Confederacy (with many tribes). He originally thought English were potential allies but fought after Lord De La Warr's attacks in Powhatan Wars.
Lord Baltimore
Devout Catholic who forms Maryland plantation colony for Catholics religious freedom: with Protestant conflict attempting to strip Catholic rights, he forms Acts of Toleration which works.
James Oglethorpe
Military leader inspired by friend's death in debtor's jail who works for prison reforms and repels Spanish attacks.
John Cabot
Earliest English explorer sent to explore North America (coast of Newfoundland).
Jacques Cartier
French explorer sent to find passage from Americas to Asia and was unsuccessful; he specifically explored St. Lawrence River and opened region for later French exploration.
Samuel de Champlain
"Father of New France" leader, soldier, and explorer who founded first French colony in North America: Queebec. He established good friendships with Huron Natives, helping them fight against rival Iroquois.
Henry Hudson
English explorer for Dutch who claimed Hudson River and Hudson Bay in New York and called it New Netherlands.
Hokokam
Located in arid American southwest known for irrigation systems
Anasazi
Large Native American settlement who built elaborate pueblo with many rooms and kivas, highlighting large presence despite Natives having little social development at the time.
Pueblos
Tribe living in pueblo structures with elaborate agriculture derived from Anasazi: had many arts and successful revolts against Spanish.
Lakota Sioux
Nomadic tribe living off hunting buffalo, teepees, and an integrated trade system. Believed God as a "series of powers pervading the universe."
Algonquian
Native nomadic tribe living off of hunting, fishing, and gathering rather than agriculture.
Roger Williams
Extreme Separatist who clashed with Massachusetts Bay Puritans over Native compensation to land and desire to break clean from Church of England. He was banished and founded Rhode Island, haven for religious tolerance.
Anne Hutchinson
Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony woman who was well learned and disagreed with Puritans regarding predestination, instead believing in antinomianism. Later banished and killed by Natives in New York.
William Penn
Devout English Quaker who wanted to start a Quaker haven in New World: secures grant of land Pennsylvania from king to make a profit and establishes Philadelphia with kind policies towards natives.
John Winthrop
Puritan governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony who believed he was called by God to lead this religious experiment: speaker of "City Upon a Hill," declaring MBC as a beacon of light and inspiration for others.
Thomas Hooker
Puritan minister who believed Massachusetts Bay governor and officials had too much power, so he led settlers to Connecticut.
Metacom
Chief also known as King Philip and son of Massaoit (chief of Wampanoag tribe during Thanksgiving), he led intertribal Native alliance against English during King Philip's War. He is killed and head put on pike while wife and son enslaved; Natives don't ever fully recover.
Sir William Berkley
Hated governor of VA who profited from Native slave trade, causing indentured servants like Nathaniel Bacon to revolt in Bacon's Rebellion.
William Bradford
Renowned leader of Plymouth Colony of Separatist pilgrims who was a self-taught scholar and knew multiple languages
Sir Edmund Andros
Governor of Dominion of New England appointed by King: Colonists hated his strict, brutal ruling style and rebelled after he tried to run away in a dress after Glorious Revolution, forcing him to return to England.
John Copley
Massachusetts-born artist known for portraits of prominent colonial Americans.
Jacob Leisler
Provincial military captain who took control of New York's British colonial government in Leisler's Rebellion, effectively controlling for more than 18 months.
Benjamin Franklin
Most representative American personality of his time and was a modern minded man: he came from Puritan Boston but moved to Philadelphia and loved it way more.
Phillis Wheatley
First African American female writer to publish in US: her published book, Poems on Various Subjects, revolutionized African-American literature.
Johnathan Edwards
Pastor igniting Great Awakening in colonial America who believed in attaining salvation through good works/affirming complete independence. He preached starkly with dark, vivid doctrines that scared some believers away.
George Whitefield
Most renown orator of First Great Awakening with different preaching style compared to Jonathan Edwards, spreading message of human helpfulness and divine omnipotence (prayer in public, women's rights, etc.).
Cotton Mather
Puritan clergyman and avid scientist who promoted smallpox vaccination after many Bostoners rejected immunizing themselves from smallpox epidemic.
John Peter Zenger
Man forced into Zenger trial after slandering corrupt royal governor William S. Cosby. His lawyer, Andrew Hamilton, sways the jury to not guilty, thereby allowing freedom of press for healthy democracy.