Unit 1 Study Guide Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering geography fundamentals, Native American cultural practices, and the Columbian Exchange from the Unit 1 Study Guide.

Equator

An imaginary line around the middle of the Earth that separates the Northern Hemisphere from the Southern Hemisphere.

Prime Meridian

An imaginary line running north-south that separates the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

North America

The continent on which the United States of America is located.

Potlatch

A ceremonial gift-giving feast practiced by indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest to display wealth and redistribute goods.

Slash-and-Burn Agriculture

An agricultural method in which trees and vegetation are cut down and burned to leave behind nutrient-rich ash for soil fertilization.

Three Sisters

The three major agricultural crops grown together by Native American tribes of the Northeast/Great Lakes region: corn, beans, and squash.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread exchange of plants, animals, technology, culture, human populations, and ideas among Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Smallpox

A contagious disease introduced from Europe to the Americas that devastated Native American populations due to their lack of immunity.

Hernan Cortes

The Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that conquered the Aztec Empire and claimed Mexico for Spain.