Unit 1 of AP US History Curriculum Review

These flashcards capture key terms and concepts from Unit 1 of the AP US History Curriculum, focusing on Native American societies, European exploration, and early colonial interactions.

Pueblo People

Farmers in present-day Utah and Colorado known for their advanced irrigation systems and cliff dwellings.

Great Basin

Region between the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada where nomadic hunter-gatherers lived.

Iroquois

Native American group in the Northeast known for farming and living in longhouses.

Cahokia

Largest Native American civilization in the Mississippi River Valley known for its centralized government and trade.

Encomienda System

Economic system used by Spaniards to force natives to work on plantations and extract wealth.

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of people, animals, plants, and diseases between the Old World and the New World.

Joint Stock Company

A business venture where multiple investors pool their resources for exploration, sharing in profits and losses.

Casta System

Hierarchical social class system imposed by Spain in the Americas based on racial ancestry.

Maritime Technology

Technological advancements related to the sea that facilitated exploration and trade.

Astrolabe

An ancient instrument used for solving problems related to time and the position of the stars.

Feudalism

A social and economic system in medieval Europe where peasants worked land owned by nobles in exchange for protection.

Mestizo

A person of mixed European and Native American descent.

Mulatto

A person of mixed European and African descent.

Bartolomé de las Casas

A Spanish priest who advocated for the rights of Native Americans and opposed their enslavement.

Reconquista

The period during which Spain sought to reclaim territory from Muslim rulers, fueling exploration.

Nativism

The policy of protecting the interests of native inhabitants against those of immigrants.

Smallpox

A viral disease brought by Europeans to the Americas, devastating native populations.