Unit 1 Review: AP US History

These flashcards cover key concepts, societies, and events from Unit 1 of the AP US History curriculum, focusing on Native American cultures before European contact and the early Spanish colonial initiatives. Heimler.

What was the main societal makeup of the Americas before European arrival?

The Americas were home to diverse peoples with distinct societies shaped by their environments.

What farming techniques did the Pueblo people use?

They utilized advanced irrigation systems for crops like beans, squash, and maize.

Describe the lifestyle of people living in the Great Basin and Great Plains regions.

They were nomadic hunter-gatherers who organized into small egalitarian kinship bands.

What was a significant trait of the Iroquois people's living arrangements?

They lived communally in longhouses made from abundant timber.

What was the encomienda system introduced by the Spanish?

It was a system where Spaniards forced natives to work on plantations and extract precious metals.

What significant impact did Columbus's 1492 voyage have on world history?

It initiated the Columbian Exchange, which transformed ecosystems and economies globally.

What does the Columbian Exchange involve?

The transfer of people, animals, plants, and diseases between the Eastern and Western hemispheres.

What economic shift occurred in Europe due to wealth from the Americas?

A shift from feudalism to capitalism, characterized by private ownership and free exchange.

Who were the peninsulares in the casta system?

Spaniards born in Spain, at the top of the new social hierarchy.

What did the Europeans generally believe about Native Americans?

They often viewed them as inferior and justified their exploitation and harsh treatment.

Who was Bartolomé de las Casas?

A priest who defended the humanity of Native Americans and opposed their enslavement.

How did Europeans justify the enslavement of Africans?

They misinterpreted the Bible, believing black skin marked descendants of Ham as destined for slavery.